Guardian Angel
by ConfusedColumbia26220
Summary: AU – When Emma is 18 she is madly in love with Neal. Despite their youth, they think they're ready to have a family. Unfortunately, midway through the pregnancy she falls into a coma she doesn't wake from for five years. And when she does, she gets to meet her son for the first time, along with the woman who adopted him. No curse.
1. Chapter 1

Two gurneys were rushed in from an ambulance into the Tallahassee hospital.

"Car accident," one of the paramedics started rushing off statistics as he sat atop one of the patients, trying to stop the blood flow. "Male. 20. Unconscious. Took most of the impact on the driver's side. Broken ribs. Heavy bruising indicates possibility of internal bleeding. Upper chest embedded with a piece of the dashboard." He hopped off the gurney when it reached its destination and the appropriate medical staff took over.

"Was any identification found?" asked one of the nurses. They were usually in charge of notifying the families once it was safe to do so. It was hard to do that with a John Doe.

The paramedic nodded. "Driver's license read Neal Cassidy."

"I'll draw up a chart," a doctor with some obvious rank stated. "Stevens, get on it."

The man identified as Stevens took his assignment without complaint and made sure Neal was taken to the appropriate area.

Another paramedic began ratting off the statistics of the second patient. "Female. 18. Unconscious. Possible concussion. Took in considerably less damage from the passenger side, though head bruising indicates it was smacked hard against the dashboard or window. If it worsens I might even consider brain trauma. Identification is Emma Swan."

"Neuroscience wing right away, then." Even the Chief of Staff had gotten involved.

"I wouldn't be so sure, sir."

The Chief eyed the young paramedic in curious surprise. "And why is that?"

Once the paramedic moved off the patient the answer was obvious, but it was stated anyway, "She's pregnant."

The Chief nodded. "Get the neonatal specialist!" The order was directed to one of the interns. "Stat! We need to know how far along she is and if there's a fetal heartbeat."

"Right away, sir." The intern scampered off.

"I'll get Strickland," another nurse volunteered herself to fetch their most skilled neurosurgeon.

"Owen, get her to ER," the same doctor who had assigned Stevens ordered. "I'll draw up a chart for this one, too," was added when the Chief's eyes on them could be felt. Then went off to actually do so because they needed to be done as soon as possible.

Time was never a fluid thing in a hospital. Time stretched on even when little time had passed at all, and something that felt short could've taken hours. Clocks were essential and could be found in almost every room and hall.

15:18 military time, or 3:18 pm standard time, was announced as the time of death for Neal Cassidy. There was no family to be notified, one parent was listed as dead, the other estranged for such a period of time it was natural to assume that they were dead also. There were no brothers or sisters to speak of. The closest thing to a family tie was the woman brought into the hospital along with him.

It was determined that Emma was five and a half months pregnant with a single child, a son. It was also determined by some tests done on her brain that she had fallen into an immediate coma upon impact as her body's act of self-preservation. Other than some slight malnourishment besides that, she was pretty healthy. Her injuries were nowhere near severe as they could've been, and when checked for internal bleeding, tests came up negative. The coma was the only sign the young woman had gone through any sort of trauma. It was unclear, though, as to whether she'd wake up.

"Well, this is frustrating," stated the same nurse who had attempted to find family ties for Neal. She had done the same for Emma. "Poor girl was bounced from foster home to foster home until she finally ran away two years ago. It's quite possible the only one who cared for her was the man who came in with her, and he died. No one to claim either of them."

"That poor child," the neonatal specialist sighed. "Left with no parents fit to care for him. His father is dead and his mother may never wake up."

"Will there even be a child to parent?" Owen asked. "I mean, the pregnancy is only half over."

"There will be. We can provide nutrients to the mother through IV and they will go to the child the same way they would if she were eating solid food. He'll grow. We'll have to do caesarean when the time comes, but he'll live."

"This woman may never wake up," Strickland reminded. "She could become a vegetable, and with no family to speak of, there will be no incentive or funding to keep her alive. The space could go to someone else."

The neonatal specialist glowered. "A growing child isn't enough incentive to keep this woman alive for another five months max? I know we have the funding for that."

Strickland conceded. He knew where the Chief would stand. "Alright, that's not my area of expertise, perhaps I overstepped."

"I know there are risks, but before anyone gets to play god and end this woman's life, this _young _woman, I might add, before we do that shouldn't we at least give her the chance to wake up? Miracles do happen." She was met with silence, and she knew she was right.


	2. Chapter 2

When Regina Mills was all but forced into her position as Mayor of Storybrooke by her power hungry mother who also happened to be one of Maine's Senators, she wanted to die. She had made it clear her entire life she wanted nothing to do with politics, that she hated it, because she couldn't stand what it did to the people she loved. First her mother, and then Daniel. She got misty eyed thinking of him even now. His father had forced him into law school the same year her mother did, and they instantly clicked due to having that they didn't belong there in common. He became her world. It was so easy to get through each day knowing she wasn't alone. He'd given her a promise ring, to be married after they graduated. Only, he couldn't take the pressure of law school, though he hid it very well. Regina still wondered if he'd hidden it for her sake, because it was always him doing the comforting and encouraging. He never took it for himself. She'd hated him for that. Hated him for not telling her his problems instead of ending his own life. Regina didn't know how she'd managed to graduate after that, but she had.

That was class of 1999. She was 22 then. Her mother wasted no time. Just after she graduated, she'd been tossed into the running for Mayor of Storybrooke to start off the new millennium. Now it was 2001, she would be turning 24 that year, and it was her second year as Mayor.

She had learned that being soft got you nowhere, from her mother, from losing Daniel, and from her four years at law school. Regina Mills the woman had no chance of running a city, or even a town. But Regina Mills the law school graduate and politician, she fairly resembled Cora Mills and got the job done. She hadn't wanted power, but she had it and definitely knew how to use it.

Her mother had been sneaky. She'd used Daniel's death to get Regina to do what she wanted. She pounded into her head that she could never have the life she truly wanted with Daniel dead, so surely putting her degree to use would be second best. For lack of a third option, or even the will to think of one, Regina had gone along with it, albeit dragging her feet along the way.

Even after developing her second personality, Regina found little joy in her life, and sometimes the blame fell to the fact that she _had _a second personality. No one wanted to know the woman underneath a politician who could make the temperature drop in a room with a glance, one whose voice would tear you to pieces whether or not you'd done something wrong. No, everyone was so caught up with the mask she wore, were too afraid of it, to think that just maybe there was something human underneath. It made for a lonely life indeed.

This second year, Regina started to understand Daniel a bit more. For her this second year was rivaled to eternity and hell, and coincidentally it had been their sophomore year in college when Daniel had offed himself, also the second year. Regina was often finding herself with the question of what did she have to live for. Every time she came up with nothing. But then she'd always convince herself she'd have a different answer tomorrow, so she never followed in Daniel's footsteps. Tomorrow never brought different answers.

The only reason she'd lasted through the first year without a complete mental snap was her lust for the town's Sherriff, Graham. He was relatively new to the job, as well. It had turned out the lust was mutual, and so they began an off again on again fling that was purely physical.

Now, though, now that didn't satisfy her or distract her the amount she needed it to. It was too fleeting, but she wouldn't ask for a relationship because she simply didn't want to and she probably wouldn't be able to handle the pressure.

She ended that six months ago, at the conclusion of her first year as Mayor.

She needed something, though, something to make her life worth living or she feared she wouldn't see her 24th birthday.

Suddenly it hit her with the force of a semi-truck.

A child.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina first decided to get information about in vitro fertilization. It was a bit controversial and usually used for women who physically were incapable of having children. She was sure there were cases with single women who wanted to have children, why else would there be sperm donors? She had to find out.

And she did. While it was possible, she ultimately ruled against it due to the amount of time she would need to take fertility drugs, the affects they would have on her, the possibility of ending up with multiple children, and finally the fact that if she were pregnant as Mayor maternity leave likely wouldn't happen.

No, in vitro fertilization wouldn't be right for her, nor would conceiving the old fashioned way. Adoption was the final option, and it took her until October of that year to realize it.

Of course, with what happened in September just a few states away, there would be plenty of orphans in need of new homes. Though Regina hadn't decided yet whether it would be easier or not to adopt an older child who knew they were being adopted.

She decided her indecisiveness would be solved once she actually got approved. Surely being fit to be mayor meant you were fit to be a parent, but adoption agencies had a protocol to run on. That was fine with her, she could use the time. Even if it wasn't much. She knew her background check would come up squeaky clean, whether because she'd done nothing wrong or because her mother made sure it stayed that way was anyone's guess.

It was mid-October when the process started, and she was right about the time it would take the adoption agency to check her out and the results that came. She hadn't asked to be, but because she was Mayor, she was put at the top of the priority list. What took months or even years for many others took a fraction of a fraction of that time for her. The check had taken a week, and once she was approved, she was hearing all kinds of stories about children of all ages from everywhere along the eastern half of the country. There were pictures, too.

There was one that struck her interest, particularly for the lack of information that was given. It was a picture simply laid out on the desk amongst a sea of ten to twelve others, with no story attached. She pointed it out.

"Does no one know this one's story?"

The lady on the other side of the desk looked surprised. "I omitted it for a reason. Many people have expressed interest in this one, but once they get the background, they change their minds."

Regina frowned. "What could possibly be _that _bad?" The stories she'd heard ranged from teen pregnancies to rape and meth babies.

"There are many worse cases, it's true, but none so unique. You see, the parents didn't put him up for adoption willingly, and neither did law deem them unfit."

Regina's frown grew puzzled. "Then how did he end up in the system?"

"Unfortunate circumstances. They were involved in a car accident, the father was driving and took most of the damage. He died shortly after arriving to the hospital. The mother, poor thing, was five and a half months pregnant at the time. Her injuries were little, but she fell into a coma, perhaps even on impact. They gave her nutrients that would sustain both her and the baby, and allow it to grow. When the time came, he was delivered through C-section. The mother still hasn't woken up. They were originally going to take her off life support to free up some space as she has no family to speak of that could pay for continuation, but we've asked them not to. She's alive, though unable to consent to the adoption. As long as she remains in that state, we can't fully grant anyone else custody. The best we can do is shared custody. If she dies or wakes up and finds herself too disoriented to take care of her child, full custody can be given to whomever adopts him then. But only then. Most people don't like the waiting game, you see. Some are afraid that she'll wake up and want full rights to her child. They'd rather not get attached only to give him back."

After that explanation, no traces of the mask of Mayor Mills were left, she had been stripped down to Regina, and she was gaping. It took her a few moments to realize that and she quickly closed her mouth. Then she thought a few moments. Finally, she asked, "Where is the child now?"

"Tallahassee, Florida."

"And how long ago was he born?"

"The ninth of this month."

"He's only two weeks old." She picked up the picture to get a closer look. He had a goofy smile that only babies had and if genetics were anything to go by, he had attractive parents. At that, a new thought came, "Why did you ask them not to take her off life support?"

"Poor kid already lost his father, and even if he gets a replacement, he shouldn't lose his mother, too. Not when there's a chance she'll wake up."

Regina nodded. "That does make sense."

Then the room was filled with silence.

It seemed like hours when in fact it was mere minutes before Regina spoke again, "I think I need to go to Tallahassee."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: If suicidal actions in any form is a trigger warning, skip the second paragraph, as it explains in some specifics how Daniel died.**

The next two days were spent finalizing details, allowing Regina to go on her trip over the weekend. She arrived in Tallahassee on Friday night, the 26th of October. She had no trouble with the partial custody; in fact the mother's entire situation entranced her. She was younger than her, just barely an adult, and her world had been shattered in a way that was so very different from her own experience when she was her age. When she was her age, she'd been pushed kicking and screaming into an education she didn't want, straight out of high school. It had shattered her world, but at least she had been conscious. She shuddered to think what it would feel like to her when she woke up, if ever, to find she was no longer pregnant. That would measure up to, or even surpass the amount of fear Regina had felt upon finding Daniel dead.

It wasn't just the fact she'd found him dead that terrified her either, oh no, it was the finality of the way he did it. It was obvious he was making damn sure he couldn't be revived if someone caught him in the middle of the act. He swallowed an entire bottle of pills, and half of another, washing it down with half a bottle of Everclear and slitting his wrists. And that must not have done the job quick enough for him because he'd attempted to hang himself from the ceiling fan. Attempted, never quite succeeded because when she'd found him he'd been crumpled on the floor in front of a stepladder, a rope tied around his neck but the other bloodied end wasn't attached to the fan. He hadn't given all those pills and the alcohol a chance to do their worst, like even those extra ten seconds spared to him had been ten seconds too long.

Yes, that could be surpassed, because if one remembered being halfway through a pregnancy and then they suddenly weren't, all kinds of horrible scenarios often worse than the actual reason would run through their heads. That was additional suffering not necessary for the young woman of 18, and Regina planned to somehow make sure that didn't happen.

She hadn't even met the woman, conscious or not, and she already wanted to spare her pain. That want filled her with more purpose than she'd felt in those six months before she had the epiphany that what she needed in her life was a child.

Of one thing she was sure, now that she was inches away from the finalization of being granted legal custody of this child, she was the closest thing the woman had to family. If she got her say about it, and she _would _get her say, that hospital would not be touching her life support. If they fought her on the matter, she would transfer to Storybrooke's hospital herself if she had to. No more harm was coming to that woman.

Finally, she parked the car in the parking lot of the hospital that matched the address on the sheet of paper she'd been given. She wasted no time in getting inside. She had already been told to go to the maternity ward first; she got the privilege of naming the child. He was only identified by his birthday and the number 1820, representing the age of each of his parents. The staff already had the necessary paperwork, and they were expecting her.

Regina watched outside the little window for a moment, observing all the babies and attempting to identify _him _before entering. It was easier than it should've been, the room was rather large and some of the babies weren't anywhere near the windows. But he was, second row from the bottom and fourth to the right. She smiled. This was real. She would be taking him home.

Wasting no more time, she opened the door and went inside. She told one of the nurses who she was and she led her to the neonatal specialist's office.

"You must be Mayor Mills," the woman greeted. "Please, have a seat."

Regina complied. "It's Regina here. Maine and Storybrooke are very far from here."

The neonatal specialist dipped her head in acknowledgement. "You are aware of the unique circumstances involving this child, correct?"

"Car accident in June, father dead, mother survived but comatose. Custody to be shared and not full until mother wakes and makes a decision or dies."

"The latter is more likely to happen than the former, though the adoption agency you went through wished it of us to keep her alive, staff here are getting antsy and space is becoming scarce."

"Though I've not even laid eyes on her, I feel a certain companionship for this woman and will make necessary arrangements to transfer her to my city if this one is stretched too thin. I will not have her die if I can help it. This shared custody makes me the closest thing to family she has."

"It's true she's had no real visitors, the only one who might have done so being dead."

"She will now. I came just as much for her as I did for the child."

"You get to name him, you know." The woman pulled out his incomplete birth certificate, setting it on the desk.

"Henry Mills, after my father." A pen was handed to her. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "It's not going to be typed?" Both parents' names were.

"Gives it a bit of personality."

Regina didn't have to be told twice. Henry Mills filled the line in her fancy script within seconds.

"All his shots are up to date, he has a clean bill of health, no allergies yet so far as we can tell. He's a bit fussy, I think he's intuitive, recognizes that the connection between him and his mother has been severed but doesn't understand why. He likes being sang to, it calms him right down. He won't let you wrap him up in anything up but red." A bittersweet smile appeared. "Must be intuitive, that was the color jacket his mother was wearing that day."

Regina took it all in. He was special already. What other child makes connections like that so early? He would certainly be intelligent when he grew older. "I'm ready to meet him."

The other woman nodded and rose from the other side of the desk. Regina followed suit and let her lead the way. She smiled when they reached their destination.

"Hey, beautiful boy. Do you like Henry?"

He flailed his arms enthusiastically.

"Good, 'cause you're stuck with it." Her smile never left her face. "I'm Regina. I'm your other mother." She stroked his cheek with her finger, immediately taken by him. "Do you want to meet Emma? I do."

His little fist seized and squeezed her finger.

"Yeah, I thought so." She looked up to the other full grown figure in the room. "You said she's had no visitors? Let's go give her a couple."


	5. Chapter 5

As if to a fully conscious patient, Regina's presence was announced, "Emma, you've got a visitor." A glance at Henry and it was amended, "And a half." Then Regina and Henry were left to themselves with Emma.

"Swan suits you." It could be a model lying in that bed. Even though it was obvious it had been done in reluctance, she remained well taken care of. Her blonde hair was brushed to perfection, so long the edges fell off the bed. Her fair skin was practically radiant, the nutrients provided were doing wonders for her appearance. "They are quite tragically beautiful creatures, don't you think?"

Regina settled into a chair with Henry nestled in her arms. He'd fallen asleep almost instantly, as if her arms were the most comfortable place in the world. It was easy to see the resemblance between mother and son, even though her eyes couldn't be seen. A blonde with brown eyes was a rare thing, Regina bet they were green or blue. The eyes had to have come from his father. "I lost my father when I was young, too, although not before I was born. I was six when he died, so young I can barely remember his face. I named your son after him, well, our son I suppose. I hope you don't mind. It was either that or Daniel, but why on earth should I name a child after a man who purposely broke his promise to me in the most painful of ways? I'm not that much of a masochist as to relive that particular memory every day."

Regina had no idea if she could hear, even though she'd heard stories of comatose patients waking miraculously after being talked to. Even so, she felt this woman was listening to her more than anyone had in her entire life. It was an odd sensation, having a conversation that was entirely one sided yet still feeling as if you were being listened to. "So Henry it is. I never thought of a middle name. Maybe when you wake up you can give him one. People around here, they're giving up hope on you, but I think you'll wake up. Apparently, Henry does to. You know what they told me? He refuses to sleep in anything but red, as if he knows that's the color jacket you were wearing the day of the accident. Looking at you, I'll bet it was leather. A swan in red leather makes for quite the picture. A bit of a rebel, I'll bet. Take that dumb blonde cliché and mock it with an attitude. Some might consider eighteen and pregnant the result of stupidity or victimization, but I can tell you'd never be that stupid and know how to kick a man where it hurts. In this case, I consider eighteen and pregnant to be brave, because I can tell you wanted this baby, and would face all the assumptions and accusations pointed at you and go through with it anyway. It's a shame life stole that opportunity before you really got a chance to prove everyone wrong. But you will, in time. I don't care if it takes one, five, ten years or beyond. You'll wake up and Henry will recognize you as his true mother, as I won't keep you a secret from him. He'll never get to know one parent, but I won't let that happen twice. You may not know him until he's fully grown, but every Mother's Day, whether here or up in Storybrooke, Maine, we'll be there. You'll just be our very own Sleeping Beauty, for what's a coma anyway but a real life sleeping curse?"

Regina smiled and shook her head. How was it that neither mother or son could speak, yet each had claimed pieces of her heart as their own? "We're family now, with Henry as our tie. Whether or not you want that when you wake is your own decision, but until then you won't be alone. When I leave this room, I'll make myself your emergency contact, and if I hear one more time about them wanting you off life support I'll bring you home. I'm Mayor of Storybrooke, no one would dare go against me there, and those who _would _certainly wouldn't go against my mother, who happens to be a Senator of Maine. No one will consider touching a pretty little hair on your head again."

She rose from her seat and leaned over, careful with her hold of the sleeping Henry, and brushed her lips against Emma's forehead. "Sweet dreams, or whatever you have all the time in the world to do."

Plan in mind, she left the room to act on it. It didn't take long to get her name on as emergency contact, and she didn't even have to threaten anyone. Perhaps she needed to send Whale away, he could clearly learn a thing or two about decency from these people. Then again Storybrooke's hospital wasn't exactly a teaching one like this one. There just weren't enough people in the city interested in a medical career, nor, she realized, in a legal one. She'd heard nothing about anyone thinking about challenging against her for the next term, which was strange as in other cities people would've started getting themselves known and their name out early. Though that could easily be her mother's influence. If Cora got her way, Regina would be mayor well into retirement age. Regina shuddered at the thought. Sneaky, sneaky politician she was had shoved her into a position with no term limit.

Regina would have been allowed to leave with Henry that night, but at Regina's insistence that she would rather he spend nights in a hospital he was used to than some hotel, no matter how upperclass, the neonatal specialist agreed to watch over him the two nights of Regina's stay until her return to Storybrooke. She planned to leave in the morning on Monday, as she wasn't expected back until Tuesday, ironically the day of Henry's third week. Also the day before Halloween. At the thought of the holiday, Regina groaned, just knowing her house was going to get egged again. The kids that didn't fear her were those belonging to parents who hated her but were mature enough or simply valued their lives enough to keep it behind her back, as if she didn't know anyway.

That was, of course, assuming parents would feel safe letting their kids out for Halloween this year. That 9/11 attack hadn't just caused fear in areas that made sense, it caused fear in just about everything. It made sense that Storybrooke's airport was suffering, but not its grocery stores. People were too afraid to live their own lives lately. Regina doubted it was fun to be President around this time, even though Bush certainly hadn't been who she'd voted for. She tended to avoid Republicans even though that's what most of the town labeled her as. They simply didn't realize you didn't have to be a Democrat to not be a Republican.

Regina shook herself of the political thoughts. If she let half of what went on in her head be heard, she would be committed. How does one go from travel plans to political parties, anyway? She chastised herself for being so deep in random thought that she'd put herself on auto-pilot, as she didn't remember leaving the hospital but was now en route to the hotel she was staying in. Had she given Henry a kiss goodbye? Had she told anyone she planned to come back the next day? She couldn't remember. With a sigh she decided to call just in case she hadn't done the last one, once she reached the hotel.

If her random thoughts continued on as they were, it was going to be a long night.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina soon saw flaw in her not thinking to tell anyone of her adoption plans upon her return to Storybrooke. Her secretary had been most surprised to discover Regina's office now resembled a nursery.

"Someone got you to babysit?" had been her question when Regina had caught her staring.

"No," Regina responded with a sharp tongue that belonged to the personality best suited for her job. "This is my son, Henry." She nodded her head vaguely in the direction of where he was sleeping in a crib complete with a mobile. "He'll be quite a permanent setting around here, so I'd appreciate it if you would stop gawking at him as if he's some sort of zoo animal."

The woman snapped her head back. "Uh…" Had been her intelligent response. "Is that why you broke it off with Graham? I mean, you hid it very well… He kinda looks like him."

Regina's laugh was more like a bark, cold and unpleasant. "We've had just enough here. Go do your job." She lifted an eyebrow when the young woman hadn't moved. "Before I replace you." That got her to leave. Go figure.

Regina couldn't help but shake her head in the privacy of only a sleeping baby in her office. She couldn't have anyone else assume the child was Graham's. Or anyone looking at him like he was on some sort of display.

It had taken her a exactly a week to figure out how to stop those two precise things from happening. How she managed to have no one but her secretary see him, or at least make it known that they'd seen him, between home and work for a week she didn't know. But on that week, Henry's fourth, she called up Sidney Glass to have him put an announcement in the paper, making the fact he was adopted very clear. She also made sure to have him throw in that she was not to be treated any differently due to the new development, nor was his private life, and her own for that matter, the town's business.

It did its job. She received no special treatment, and even Whale was smart enough to keep his comments to himself whenever Regina brought him in to be updated for shots and checkups. Good for him, but ultimately good for Regina for that proved he could at least be trusted when it came to the inevitability of Emma being transferred to the hospital he practically ran. Regina had been making calls every other day to the Tallahassee hospital for updates on the blonde's condition, though it never changed. Neither had the want to have her taken off life support come up, but Regina knew it was only a matter of time before it did. They were one tragedy away from needing to free up the space, and tragedies always arrived on their own timing.

She finally realized on Henry's fifth week, the 13th of November, that she made it to her 24th birthday after all, and was two days away from the four month mark of time passed since hitting it. She'd been so busy running the town while trying to figure out how she was going to acquire a child; she'd forgotten her own birthday. Her mother was never one for visits or cards, nor did any of her constituents know her well enough to remind her or give her a celebration. She doubted they truly knew her age, anyway. If they did, most of them would realize they were scared of someone that was younger than them.

The next day Regina did receive a call from her mother, though it wasn't to wish her a late happy birthday. No, of all things, it was an attempt to set her up on a blind date with a man named Leopold.

"Do you really think I have time for dates, mother? I am a mayor, after all." She wisely chose to leave out that she was now also a mother. If her mother hadn't been digging through Storybrooke newspapers, she didn't know, and Regina would like to keep it that way. Cora would likely be pleased, but only on the condition he too would grow to be a politician and Regina was having none of that. In fact, Regina was almost praying he grew to be effeminate and wanted to join a dance troupe or become a cosmetician. The farther from a politician the better. Be an accountant, a doctor, a drag queen if you must, but please never a politician. Fail through each grade of school yet strike it rich by becoming an actor. Absolutely anything was better than following in Cora's and her own footsteps.

"Are you even listening?"

Regina only then realized she was letting her thoughts run off with her. "I'm sorry, I have a headache. You were saying something about how he's mega wealthy and is a descendant to one of the Founding Fathers." _Or something like that, _Regina added silently in hopes she got it close enough.

"He's coming to Storybrooke for the weekend and would love to meet you."

"I'm not quite sure I'll be here, mother. I might have out of town business to attend to."

"He has a lovely daughter who would like to be a mayor somewhere someday. She'd like to meet you, as well. Her mother died when she was a child, she was a mayor too, you see, but the girl was so young she never got to learn from her. I think it was Los Angeles or something."

"_MOTHER! _ You are trying to set me up on a date with a man who has a child?! A widower, at that? I can't be some…some replacement!"

"You didn't think you were fit for a life of politics either, yet here you are."

"How do you even know I'm not already seeing someone?"

"You said it yourself, dear. No time for dates, remember?"

Well shit. Actually, not quite. "Well if you're past the dating stage then there's really no need for dates then, is there Mother?"

"Surely you haven't gone and gotten yourself engaged again, dear? Especially after how it ended last time."

"I just might have." With that, Regina hung up.

As her own words sank in, she groaned. If she couldn't get out of town for the weekend, she might find herself having to pay Graham to pretend to be her fiancé. Great, as if she wanted to open that particular can of worms. Double great, she hadn't thought of Henry with that barely formed plan. The very thing she didn't want her town jumping to conclusions about was going to be the very thing she would have to play to in order to solve this Leopold problem.

All was not lost, she reminded herself. If she could get away for the weekend, she and Henry could pay Tallahassee a visit once again. She would much rather be in Emma's company than a widowed man with a daughter old enough to want a political career anyway.

Regina wondered if whenever Emma woke up she would be agreeable to pretending to be her girlfriend, fiancée, or wife on occasion. Convincing her mother she was a lesbian would certainly be one way to get her to stop trying to set her up with men she found worthy.


	7. Chapter 7

The weekend came and Regina found herself in a pickle. Neither could she go to Tallahassee nor would Graham agree to being paid to pretend to be involved. Without a plan C, Regina was forced to at least meet Leopold.

She couldn't stop herself from widening her eyes in shock at first glance. How old did her mother honestly believe her to be, anyway? The man was easily twice her age, which put him nauseatingly close to 50. _50! _When Mary Margaret was introduced, his daughter, she found out she was 14.

What the hell was her mother thinking, setting her up with a man twice her age with a daughter just a decade younger than her?! It was a horrifying thought, to know what was expected of her. It hadn't been said but the subtext yelled loud and clear that Cora expected her to become his wife and her stepmother.

"Are you really a mayor?" a young feminine voice pulled Regina out of her trance.

Before she could answer, though, Leopold chastised, "Don't be rude, Mary."

"I'm not!" The girl protested. "It's just… You're really pretty. Like movie star pretty. Why aren't you in movies?"

Regina couldn't help but chuckle, even if it wasn't a particularly happy one. "Politics has been my calling my entire life," she answered. Really, she hadn't had a chance to dream about being anything else.

Both daughter and father smiled widely at her response. It made her want to vomit.

"I'm not sure what my mother told you, Leopold, but to be quite honest I'm not sure what's to be expected of this meeting. Well, I have some idea but it's not likely to happen. My mother may think she knows every detail of my life, but she doesn't. I'll just bet you wouldn't be here if you'd been told I've had a baby recently and that the father died just this past June." It wasn't a lie. Henry existed, was in her custody, and his father died that day of the accident in June. The implications that she was the birth mother and had been romantically involved with the father are what were false. Hopefully, though, they wouldn't see through that.

What happened next shocked the hell out of her. "It's okay." The teenager slipped her hand into hers. "I lost my mother when I was six. Dad was sad for a while and I didn't really understand why she wasn't around anymore, but we got better. You'll get better, too." She gave her hand a squeeze.

Damn her mother! Trust Cora to find a man with a child who had lost her mother at the same age Regina had lost her father. She was obviously counting on them to bond to the point where Regina would simply accept her father as part of a package deal in her life. Well, hell would freeze over before that happened.

"I'm sorry to hear of your loss," Leopold spoke. "You're right that I wasn't told."

"Like I said, she wasn't aware."

"It must be hard to endure a second tragedy like that. Cora did inform me of your loss a handful of years ago while you attended law school. Dreadfully tragic."

She did _what?! _Regina nearly popped a blood vessel. "Well I'm sure that was to rope you in with that little sob story. Everyone does love a victim. But that was not her business to share. I was never the same after losing Daniel."

Leopold had the audacity to look surprised. "She made it out to be common knowledge. I apologize that she overstepped."

With the sad eyes young Mary Margaret was giving her, Regina knew she knew as well.

"I decided it was polite to at least meet you but I don't think I can stand a minute more of this meeting. I am most uncomfortable with strangers knowing intimate details of my past. I'll deal with my mother later." Regina didn't listen to their appeals to her to stay. Her mother had crossed a major line and now all she wanted to do was curl up with Henry and curse the world to damnation.

She left with no second thoughts, but a small voice in the back of her head warned her that this wouldn't be the last she saw of Leopold and Mary Margaret. She chose to ignore the warning. So help her God, she would put a restraining order on her own mother if she had to.

Only once she was in her own driveway did a solitary tear leak from the corner of her eye and roll down her cheek. Daniel's loss had crashed hard into her once again, ripping the wound it had left until it was gaping once again. She rushed to the house, lest she be seen in her moment of weakness. Once inside she composed herself, remembering the teenager she'd acquired to babysit at the last minute.

Regina wasn't surprised to see the girl had made herself at home, feet propped up as she watched television. "You're off the hook," announced Regina in her most neutral voice as she slapped a fifty dollar bill on the table. She didn't have to look to know the girl was staring after her in shock. Regina's only focus was seeing Henry.

She closed the bedroom door behind her and gently took Henry from his crib, sitting on the bed with him. She watched him wake with a watery smile. "Hi, sweetheart."

A little hand reached out and even littler fingers squeezed her nose, comforting her in the best way his tiny body could manage.

Regina let out a weak laugh. "Thank you." Her voice came out thick as she cradled him as close as possible without hurting him while laying back. "I love you so much, Henry." Big eyes and tiny eyes alike slipped closed as both slipped into slumber land.


	8. Chapter 8

"_Thought that I would fail without you  
But I'm on top  
Thought it would be over by now  
But it won't stop  
Thought that I would self destruct  
But I'm still here  
Even in my years to come  
I'm still gon be here"_

The lyrics of Survivor by Destiny's Child filled Regina's ears through headphones of a walkman like a well needed pep talk as she took her early morning run, which consisted of laps around the backyard now that there was an infant in need of her constant care. It wouldn't do to stray too far, but Regina refused to give up her exercise when she spent most if not all of the work day behind a desk.

When the song reached its conclusion, she checked her watch to find that her forty-five minutes were up. She jogged to the back door as she allowed the headphones to slide down to rest around her neck. She let herself inside and locked the door behind her, never one to take chances.

It was the Monday after the horrendous meeting with the man that felt more appropriate to be her mother's husband than her own, and she still had no idea what to do about it, nor how to reprimand her mother for the action of sharing such personal information. Of course, Regina held little doubt the presumptuous woman was already welcoming the two into the family with open arms regardless of what Regina's wishes may be. It was just like her, after all, to use her as a pawn to get her own way.

_He must have one hell of a life insurance figure, _thought the dark haired mayor grimly. She wondered if her mother ever thought about anything that didn't involve a dollar sign.

Regina shook her head when she caught sight of a clock on the wall, mentally scolding herself when she realized she wasted five minutes stewing in her thoughts. Knowing that was five minutes less she now had to get to work, she gathered the walkman up in its entirety and returned it to its place before heading into the bedroom. She smiled on sight of the sleeping Henry and leaned into the crib, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. She'd give him an extra moment to enjoy it, but then she would have to wake him. She'd learned in the past almost month that a baby just woken from sleep took longer to get ready than she did.

So she endured the sweaty clothes as she did finally rise Henry from his sleep, making sure he was fed and clean before prepping him for the short car ride ahead. He was merciful that morning, not quite so fussy as others. For that Regina was thankful, those five missed minutes would have been detrimental otherwise.

Only when Henry was fastened into the car seat did Regina change into more work appropriate attire. She noticed with a hint of amusement that Henry turned his glance elsewhere, as if he felt the need to allow her some shred of modesty. To Regina it was as harmless as changing in front of a pet, he didn't know any better.

"Alright, sweetie." Regina slung the bag that held all the essentials he could possibly need during the work day over her shoulder. "Time to get going." She lifted the car seat by its handle and began their descent to the car. It was quick work buckling the car seat in, she'd had quite a bit of practice and now considered herself to be a pro at it.

Her work day proceeded as usual. Paperwork and meetings, tending to Henry, who usually slept the whole day away, in between. Usual, that is until one particular meeting rolled up at two in the afternoon. Her secretary kept a log of what meetings were held, what appointments were made, who made them and when they were to take place, but it was impossible for Regina to remember them all. She was sure she would remember if this particular name was ran by her, because she would not have allowed it had she known in advance.

She found none other than Leopold in her office and hoped that when she bristled it wasn't visible. "I thought you were only here for the weekend," was her neutral greeting. She tried to sound bored.

"That was the plan." The middle aged man sat in the seat across from her without being invited. Regina was glad that at least there was a desk in between them. "But the way you left didn't sit right with me. I truly am sorry your mother decided to share what wasn't hers to tell, and I'd like to make it up to you if I can."

Oh hell. Couldn't he take a hint? "I'm not sure there's anything that can do that. Even if there were, I likely wouldn't have the time. You see how my working arrangement now is." She nodded her head in Henry's direction.

"Mary loves kids. I'm sure she'd jump at the chance to watch him if you felt the need to get away."

Regina's eyes snapped up from the paperwork she had been trying to busy herself with. "Just how long _are _you planning on staying in Storybrooke, Leopold?"

"Until leaving sits right with me."

At that, a few moments worth of a silent staring contest ensued.

"You do realize you're playing right into my mother's hands?" Regina arched an eyebrow. "Really, you have a daughter to focus on. You shouldn't be trying to play and win The Bachelorette."

"You have no idea how many people there are in my life that couldn't care less about the fact I have Mary Margaret to think of."

Regina knew she'd lost in that very moment. She saw something slide into place in his eyes, something that meant he know saw her as his ideal mate and his new mission was to win and claim her. Her shoulders almost sagged with the weight that had been added like a ton of bricks. Her escape was getting smaller and smaller.

"That is unfortunate." And oh what a loaded statement that was. "Basic compassion is a collector's item these days. But finding someone who possesses it doesn't mean the world has to tilt on its axis because of it." That was code for 'don't use your daughter as a pawn to seek out marriage – especially not if it's my hand you seek'.

"Teenagers are still impressionable, my Mary could learn a lot from you."

"So could she from her teachers."

"She likes you."

"I don't like the feeling that I'm being backed into a corner."

"Not my intention. I only wish to take you out."

All the red flags possible jumped up in Regina's mind. Bullshit. She knew how that domino chain would react. "My time is valuable." A polite 'fuck you'.

"I'll make it worth your while."


	9. Chapter 9

After Tuesday night, Regina needed to escape. Thanksgiving was just that Thursday and Regina found a way to get away in order to spend it in Tallahassee. The state of her blonde friend hadn't changed, but there was no one else to vent her frustrations to. Besides, families were meant to gather together for the holidays. That's exactly what they were, her, Regina, and Henry.

She'd bought herself a five day weekend, starting Wednesday and ending on Sunday. She'd be back at work the 26th. The long drive from Maine to Florida would be good for her, just some peace and quiet between herself and Henry. Regina was more comfortable with the idea of Henry staying at a hotel with her now. She knew his sleeping patterns, they would be just fine sharing the bed as long as Henry's favorite red blanket was wrapped around him.

Regina didn't sleep a second Tuesday. Not after the 'it's not a date' date. She was confused as to how on earth he knew what her favorite dish was when it was something not even her mother knew, it wasn't anything they'd ever eaten while she was growing up. It certainly hadn't been on Granny's menu, either. The whole diner had been bought out; it was just the two of them and Granny. Mary Margaret was left, in much reluctance on Regina's part, to watch Henry.

If buying out an entire restaurant wasn't a date, Regina clearly didn't know the definition. But no matter how much she'd commented that it sure looked like a date, Leopold assured her he did the same thing for his daughter all the time, whether to celebrate or to apologize. In this case, it was to apologize. Regina hadn't bought it.

If Regina were honest, knock a decade or two off his age and remove the daughter, she wouldn't care if her mother was the one to orchestrate it, she would be swayed into thinking the possibility of having someone in that capacity wouldn't be quite so bad. But he was what he was and had a daughter. It was as conflicting as a magnet that suddenly changed course and flipped from being attracted to the other to being repulsed by it.

There were moments she had honestly forgotten, but then she'd quickly reminded herself it was all part of her mother's latest plot to make sure she remained miserable. Surely behind all the showy charm there was a darker creature beneath. Regina knew that, but she also knew it would never show itself until it was too late.

Hence her frustration. Scrutinize as she might, she couldn't for the life of her find that darkness. But she knew, she just _knew _the moment she stopped looking would be the moment it chose to show itself. It's not like she could pull the young girl aside one day to ask if there was anything off about him. She knew that if she did and the answer was yes, she'd bind herself to the father to shift the target to herself. There was no stronger weakness than being in a position of power to protect a child from a broken home.

It was just borderline of normal the amount of times Leopold had commented just how much like her mother Mary Margaret looked. It was a normal thing for parents to do, ping-ponging between them which one their child looked like more. Of course, it was something Regina had no personal experience with. She recalled one time when she was about four or five when her father made the mistake of comparing Regina's looks to Cora's.

"She's growing to be a mirror image of you," had been his words.

"That little brat looks nothing like me! Don't you ever dare compare her likeness to mine again. She hasn't earned it." And that had been the end of that.

No, Regina hadn't slept at all, but that didn't stop her from getting behind the wheel Wednesday morning to begin her drive to Tallahassee. Coffee was always helpful to make sure no one fell asleep behind the wheel. She always took it black. Black coffee held no lies. It was the right kind of slap in the face comparable to a glass of cold water dumped on one's head.

Little Henry slept enough for the both of them, as he never woke as she took him from his crib to transition him to the car seat and then transition him to the car. He was out like a light and Regina had to wonder what on earth Mary Margaret had kept him occupied with for him to be so tired.

Regina turned the car radio on but kept the volume low. Classical was good for babies, so she'd heard, so she found a classical station to act as background noise. She found herself wondering if Emma had ever played the same music for him while she was pregnant before she wound up in a coma. It was a nice sight in her mind's eye, a fully conscious Emma with headphones held to her slightly bulging belly playing Mozart or Beethoven.

Regina's trip continued on with little interruption, save her checking every two hours to see if Henry needed his diaper changed, and even less frequent stops to fill her tank. It was past visiting hours when she arrived at the hospital, but seeing as she was truly Emma's only visitor and came from so far away, she was allowed in.

Not before a familiar neonatal specialist ran into her and fawned over how much Henry had grown since the last time they'd been there, however. It wasn't an unwelcome occurrence, the woman was the only one to really know him before her. It wasn't for long, but it was definitely long enough to form an attachment. Regina wondered how anyone could ever work her job, get attached to each individual child for a time only for them to be sent home with their parents or to orphanages. How did she not want to take each one home with her? It made as little sense to Regina as the concept of surrogacy, but she supposed it was a necessary job.

After somewhere between five and ten minutes the woman managed to tear herself away, so Regina carried on to her purpose for her return to Tallahassee.

"I should call you Rapunzel; your hair is getting so long and golden." She returned to the seat she had claimed the previous time she'd visited. She was pleased to see for herself that the care given to her had not waned. She was thinking about making that transfer before the New Year. Black ice and drunk driving would surely call for accidents giving the hospital patients of higher priority than a single comatose patient. Regina would be sure to make her the number one priority once the transfer occurred. Whale would be a stupid man to question her.

"I must admit, my reasons for coming are selfish this time. I feel as if you listen to me, though really, I don't think you have much of a choice. Even if you can't hear me consciously, I'm sure your subconscious has nothing better to do than eavesdrop, unless it's concocting dreams for you. I hope it's not filling you up with delusions your life is continuing on without consequence, that will only make it harder on you when you do wake." She shook her head before bringing herself back to the point.

"My mother's setting me up. It's horrible – he's twice my age at least, with a daughter not far off from your age, actually. The two of you could be sisters. While he…he could be my father, yet I'm sure my mother is expecting me to make him my husband. He took me on a date last night. He kept claiming that's not what it was, but I know better. He's putty in my mother's hands. She's twisted him to believe her wants are actually his, and I have no choice but to watch it happen. I'm afraid I may have to do what she wants. I tried steering him away, I gave him the impression that I was in your shoes, minus the coma of course. All it did was make him and his daughter pity me. The worst part is, I know if there was a smaller age gap and no child, I'd likely let myself fall for his charms. But I have a feeling there's something…reptilian beneath the show. I think that if my mother can't be around to keep me in line, she'll send a substitute to do so. He's probably just as bad as her, but I just can't _see _it. I won't stop hunting for it, though, because the moment I turn a blind eye is the moment it will strike. It's like a dragonfly, all illusions of a companion to walk by your side, and the only time you realize it's a lie is when you're being eaten alive. I don't know what to do, Emma. I'd give anything to swap places with you, let you get to know your son while I lay forgotten by the world. It would be better that way. I was frightened I wouldn't make it to my 24th birthday, you see. I lost vision of a future I could see myself in, and I knew if I didn't find something that would show me life's worth once again, I'd likely end my own life. The paper would be in a frenzy, and my mother would use it to her advantage in the game of politics. And then suddenly I realized what I was missing. I've only just started my new outlook on life, yet here comes spiraling in something that makes me feel like giving up once again…"

Regina took in a deep breath, only then realizing she'd completely talked herself out of air. "I don't want Henry to suffer because of this, his life is already unfair enough. I'll endure anything to ensure he doesn't. But I'm also afraid of what might happen should I walk the path my mother has shoved me onto. What if that darkness shows itself and Henry gets seriously hurt by it? What if…hell, he could be a serial killer for all I know. He could be anything, and my mother just expects me to follow his lead blindly because he has money. It's ridiculous. She always treats me as if I'm half a person, incapable of making my own decisions."

Regina sighed and changed course. "Tomorrow's Thanksgiving, and I'll be here. We're a family now, remember? That's what families do. Despite everything, I do have something to be grateful for this year. Henry for one thing, you for another. I don't have the patience and I'll admit am too paranoid to write any of this down, but it also wouldn't look good for my image if I saw a shrink. Doctor-patient confidentiality only goes so far when you're in the public eye. So really, even though I have to drive across the country to get here, it's worth it." She glanced at the still sleeping Henry in her arms. "You're such a deadweight," her tone was teasing. Her gaze returned to the unconscious Emma. "The day you wake will come and you'll likely have no idea who I am and I'll have to introduce myself all over again, but for the time being you truly are my best friend." She reached out traced a pair of fingers along her jaw. The warmth was dull from no activity and no attention. Most people had enough activity in their daily lives to bring a redness to their skin of overexertion, or had someone to hold their face and gaze at them as if they were the universe. Poor thing wasn't getting any of that laying down all day. No flushed skin from racing up stairs to not be late, no one to keep her warm at night. "Some day I'll be able to see you more often." Her hand found the blonde's, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Some day you won't have to be quite so cold." Her fingers felt as they would if she'd spent time in the rain without gloves. Regina readjusted her blanket so it covered her hands.

Catching sight of the clock, she realized she should probably get to the hotel and try to get some sleep. "See you tomorrow, Swan."


	10. Chapter 10

Thanksgiving Day Henry finally decided to wake while in the presence of both mothers.

"Well, speak of the devil." Regina chuckled. "No, that doesn't sound right. You're not a fallen angel; your halo's still attached." She kissed his very small nose before situating him in her lap so that he was facing Emma. "Who's that?"

Recognition was made clear as tiny arms and legs shot out, causing the red blanket to fall to the floor. He wanted to cuddle.

"Yeah, you recognize your mommy, don't you?" Regina dropped a kiss to the top of his head. "You gotta be careful with her, okay? She needs her rest." She waited for him to stop wriggling before she placed his small frame on top of his other mother. He resembled a koala bear, head nestled against her chest with an arm and a leg slung over either side of her body. It was, in fact, the exact way he'd insisted on sleeping on Regina the previous night no matter how many times she'd peeled him off and placed him at her side. Regina smiled. "Okay, no way can I pass this up." She pulled her camera out of her purse and took a couple steps back so she could get both of them in the shot. Just as she pressed the button, Henry looked right at the camera.

"Such a ham," Regina commented as she returned the camera to her purse. Not long after she heard footsteps approaching the door. "Okay, baby boy." She gently took him back into her arms, not wanting to get in trouble for disturbing the patient or whatever by whoever was coming to probably check her vitals.

When the door opened, Regina wasn't expecting the neonatal specialist to be in the doorway. She raised an eyebrow. "We keep running into each other and I'm starting to think it's not a coincidence."

The other woman shrugged. "It's Thanksgiving. I come bearing pie." The tiniest serving of pumpkin pie Regina had ever seen was held up. "All patients are given them, and if they can't eat it for one reason or another, it goes to whomever is visiting them."

Regina had to wonder what would happen in the case where the patients who couldn't eat it didn't have any visitors, but she wasn't about to question free pumpkin pie. "That's thoughtful." She shifted Henry in her lap so she had a free hand to take the pie in its tin serving bowl that was offered to her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I don't think we have a neonatal specialist in Storybrooke," Regina mused aloud.

The other woman laughed. "Trying to steal me up north, are you?"

"Maybe. You're the only one I've seen here who seems to care about Miss Swan outside of your job requirement. I was thinking of making the transfer in between Christmas and the New Year. It would be nice to have the same level of care at our hospital. While being in the same city would allow me to visit much more often, I'm still Mayor and my schedule is always hectic. Having someone around that was there in the beginning would prove useful." She noticed Henry stretching to reach his fallen blanket and sat the pie on the floor for a second as she retrieved it for him.

"And here I was making a joke." It wasn't every day one got offered a job straight from a mayor.

"Of course, that's just my side of things. You may have ties here that you don't wish to cut. It would be nice, is all."

"Perhaps I can schedule a trip, see what it's like."

"A doctor by the name of Whale may try to hit on you. Consider it an occupational hazard."

The woman chuckled. "Alright. I'll let you get back to your visit now."

The three were left alone once again. Regina contemplated which was the best way to eat the pie as she wasn't given any silverware, plastic or otherwise. It was a tiny thing so in the end she managed to peel the tin away and ate it whole. Not the most graceful, but it wasn't as if she were being watched and her options had been limited.

She caught tiny brown eyes peering up at her at the closest thing to jealousy a six week old child could manage. She smiled once it was swallowed. "Maybe next year, buddy." Pumpkin pie was definitely a no no for a child so young. She pressed a kiss to his forehead. She had to laugh at the sight of crumbs sticking to where her lips had been. "Sorry." She brushed them off, making sure to do it off to the side so they wouldn't land in small but thick tufts of hair he was growing in.

The rest of the visit was spent in companionable silence, after Regina had gotten the venting out she'd needed to the previous night and had rambled about Henry's growth and progress before the child and question had woken up, she found there was little else to talk about. That was fine with her, it gave Emma's ears a chance to rest. Plus she'd gotten quite the picturesque picture out of the visit, so she could hardly say it wasn't worth it.

All in all, Regina had a good Thanksgiving that year.


	11. Chapter 11

Returning to Storybrooke set Regina on edge. Gone was the feeling of peace that came with the small vacation, the wonderful escape from Leopold. But Regina didn't know that a single phone call she would receive on Monday morning would throw the idea of peace to a place far out of reach.

It had been a normal Monday, and unlike the previous one, at least so far, there had been no reappearance of Leopold. She would have preferred that over the call received by her mother, though.

"You foolish girl." That was never a good greeting. "How long did you think you could hide it from me? Especially putting an announcement in the newspaper like that."

Regina mentally groaned. She knew she would regret that. Murphy's Law and whatnot. She simply waited for her mother's monologue to continue.

"Now, I hear your meetings with Leopold aren't going quite how they should be."

"Oh, they should be going a certain way?" She couldn't help it that time. Her snark had a life of its own. "I'm sorry, I thought this was my life."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll make sure future meetings are on track. Tell me, Regina, who do you think has more weight in words, a simple mayor or the senator who raised her? One call would be all it takes to revoke your right to motherhood."

And just like that, Regina's heart was hammering away uncomfortably in her throat.

"If you'd like to keep your young sweet boy, you'd best heed my wishes. If not? Well, it's a life in the system for him, then."

It was official. Regina would never know happiness again. "You're blackmailing me." It wasn't a question. It was what politicians did best, after all.

"Oh, look at that! You do have some brains somewhere after all."

"Are you going to give me a deadline, too?" It was sarcastic, but it nevertheless gave Cora an idea she wouldn't have had without it.

"I do expect an announcement of engagement by the new year, now that you ask. A wedding invitation by 2003, but earlier is always acceptable."

"I don't love him, Mother. Nor do I even like him."

"Love is weakness, I thought your Daniel taught you that. And marriage has nothing to do with liking someone, my dear."

"Who's to say _he _is going to stick to your deadline? Do you really expect he'll think not even two months after meeting someone is an acceptable passage of time before a proposal? He doesn't appear to be a complete idiot."

"If I'm not above blackmailing my own daughter do you really think I'm above blackmailing someone else's?"

Regina gritted her teeth. "You threatened the girl?" It was hard not to growl. "Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Many things, dear, many things. I trust we're on the same page?"

"I don't do what you want and Henry gets taken away from me, he doesn't do what you want and something comes out that will ruin his or his daughter's lives, maybe both, forever."

"Precisely. See you at the wedding." The line went dead.

Regina stared at the phone in shock. Surely that couldn't be legal. She shuddered to think what dirty laundry her mother was using against Leopold and Mary Margaret. But she'd implied it was her. What could a fourteen year old girl possibly have done that would result in ruining lives if it was exposed? Regina had the nerve to consider her mother was bluffing, but would never have to courage to actually call her out on it. Especially not if she turned out to be wrong.

She finally let herself groan out loud. Within the next month she would be proposed to, and she would have to say yes in order to keep Henry. She didn't doubt her mother's ability to think up a creative lie that would not only revoke her right of adoption, but would not be quite so damaging to ruin her political career. Power was still one of her main motivators after all, she wouldn't be so suicidal as to take away everything she'd groomed Regina to be. It paid to have offspring in the political field, and that was likely also literal. Power and money were what she held dear, she would never do anything to lessen her hold on either one.

Regina wanted to scream, and the only thing stopping her was the fact that Henry was sleeping. She didn't even care if she would be heard by her secretary, but she didn't want to scar her child for virtually no reason. She pursed her lips shut against the urge. Then, as a wave of nausea hit her, she clamped them shut, determined not to lose her breakfast.

How foolish she had been to think once she took the career path her mother had laid out for her that she'd be left to live her own life. Clearly, as her mother had proven time and time again, her life had never been her own.

A tear trailed down her cheek as the nauseating pain overwhelmed her body. It was torture to not make a dash to the bathroom and give in. But sickness had always been something she'd personally viewed as a weakness, and the only thing she took pride in not succumbing to.

How on earth, she wondered, did her mother expect her to marry a man that made her physically ill to think about marrying? The answer was simple, she supposed. She didn't care.

Regina shook her head before letting it collapse onto her arms as she slumped against the desk like a sleeping student. Any moment now, if God were listening, she'd be happy to take Emma Swan's place. Any damn moment now.


	12. Chapter 12

Regina woke from the strangest dream on the Saturday that marked the official beginning of December. And by strange it is meant that Hell put together a special brand of horror just for her.

In her dream Daniel never died, but that was the extent of the good in it. They made it to their wedding day, but just after their holy matrimony was sealed with a kiss, Daniel morphed into Leopold. And he was laughing. Out of the corner of her eye, she took notice of the priest morphing as well. Turning her head, she saw Cora in his place, cackling in delight. The ring bearer went from a young boy in a suit no older than ten to Mary Margaret in a suitable bridesmaid dress, hands covering her mouth to hide the snickers. Regina's eyes swept the pews, finding all the attendants roaring with laughter, mocking her. Just as she spun to flee the altar, a hand seized each of her wrists. Cora's on her left, Leopold's on her right.

"You're mine now," Leopold reminded her.

"Your job is far from done." Cora was looking pointedly at Regina's stomach.

Regina followed her mother's eyes and was horrified to find herself heavily pregnant.

Her eyes had snapped open then, the ceiling her first sight upon her abrupt return to reality. Her chest was heaving, and the nightgown she'd slept in was soaked with sweat. How long exactly she'd been forced to endure the dream, she couldn't be sure, time in a dream was a fickle thing, but the state she found herself in upon waking suggested half an hour at the least.

"Fucking Christ," Regina muttered under her breath.

A short time later, the source for her being awaken made itself known. Henry was crying at a volume that made her ears ring in protest once they registered the sound. Regina flung the covers back and shot up onto her feet, making it to Henry's side in record time. "What is it, sweetie?" With a bit of skill, she lifted the angrily flailing baby into her arms, just barely avoiding getting smacked in the face by one of his little fists. She felt his diaper, but it was dry. "Are you hungry, hmm?" She started to bounce him gently. "Ssh ssh, calm down, little man." She remembered being told he liked being sang to. She cleared her throat, doubting her abilities so shortly after waking up, but she guessed the quality of it hardly mattered. It took some time, but the timeless and perhaps most well known nursery rhyme did eventually pop into her head.

_"Hush, little baby, don't say a word,  
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird._

If that mockingbird don't sing,  
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

If that diamond ring turns to brass,  
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass…"

She trailed off after the third verse when she noticed it did its job, Henry had indeed calmed down. "There we go." She smiled. "Now what was that about, huh?" Her question was answered when she caught sight of the red blanket that had slipped between the bars of the crib and was in a heap on the floor. She chuckled. "You really _do _love that blanket." She bent to retrieve it and draped it around Henry's shoulders. "That better?" She took Henry snuggling up against her chest as a yes.

A small frown tugged at the corners of her mouth when it occurred to her he'd likely been cold with the absence of the blanket. She kissed the top of his head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." She rubbed his back through the blanket. "I didn't mean to let you be cold. Let's have breakfast though, yeah?"

Getting formula into Henry's stomach was always chore, and that morning proved no different. First he wouldn't take it, turning his head every which way to avoid it. Then when he did take it he spit it out a few times, the target more than one time being Regina's hair.

"Henry," Regina whined. "You're killing me here. I know it's disgusting but it's all you get until you're old enough to handle baby food and solids. Is the assault on my hair really necessary?"

Then an amazing thing happened. He laughed at her. It was a tiny giggle, but it was there.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you?" The huge grin Regina was sporting was a contradiction to her strict tone. She didn't know it was possible to love such a small sound so much, nor did she know it would make her do just about anything to hear it again. She shook her head. "Come on now; don't make me sit here all day." She nudged the nipple of the bottle closer to his mouth. "The sooner you take it the sooner it'll be over."

Henry decided to take mercy on her then, accepting the bottle after half an hour of refusing it and spitting it out. The upside was that whenever he finally did take it, he nursed it like a sailor nursing rum so he always got plenty.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Regina placed the now half full bottle on the counter. "Was it?" She pinched his cheeks and brushed her nose against his. It resulted in another little giggle. "Uh huh. I thought so."

It was her turn for breakfast. It consisted of coffee, a bagel with cream cheese, and a little medley of fresh fruit with heavy emphasis on apples. It may not be much, but her metabolism wasn't as speedy as it was when she was a teenager. It would take a good few hours for it to break everything down and only then would her hunger strike up again. It wouldn't do for a huge breakfast when she had formula to wash out of her hair, anyway. It was a good thing she no longer showered before she ate, or she would've been in for two showers in just as many hours.

Before she went to take Henry back to the bedroom so she could do so, she dug out a notebook from one of the kitchen drawers. She flipped it open and jotted down the milestone that had been reached that day:

_December 1__st__, 2001 – Henry's first laugh_


	13. Chapter 13

Regina continued her list each time she noticed Henry did something new. It would make for a nice gift whenever Emma woke up. She'd want to know what she missed of her child's life, the least Regina could do was fill in the details. She realized a few days after starting that she wouldn't even know his birthday, so she started with a fresh sheet to add a little more than a couple extra bullet points above his first laugh. The list now read

_October 9, 2001 – Henry's birth  
October 23, 2001 – The day I (Regina Mills) decided to adopt him; also 2 week mark  
October 26, 2001 – First in person meeting, he gets his name, I get to meet you (Emma)  
October 29, 2001 – Henry arrives at new home  
October 30, 2001 – Henry comes to work with me for first time; 3 week mark  
October 31, 2001 – Henry's first Halloween (nothing special, no time for costume shopping)  
November 6, 2001 – 4 week mark  
November 13, 2001 – 5 week mark  
November 20, 2001 – 6 week mark  
November 22, 2001 – Henry's first Thanksgiving, first time he pays attention to you during visit (picture to go with)  
November 27, 2001 __ – __7 week mark  
__December 1st, 2001 – Henry's first laugh  
December 4__th__, 2001 – 8 week mark  
December 7__th__, 2001 – Henry's first smile (picture to go with)  
December 11__th__, 2001 – 9 week mark, Henry's first attempt at holding own weight with his feet (which he gave up on after half a second, but progress is progress)_

It was now the 15th of December. Since the fateful conversation with her mother on the Monday of her return to Storybrooke, Regina had endured three full fledged official dates with Leopold. The man grew more confident with each one. The first he was a perfect gentleman, only touching when escorting her from car to door and vice versa. The second he'd progressed to sneaking hand holds under the table. The third he'd brought Mary Margaret along, perhaps as a test for future family outings, and made sure she had perfect view of the apparently mandatory goodbye kiss.

Regina discovered even more how convincing an actress she was, though she was really only going through the motions. Her secret passion for romantic comedies was finally proving its use; otherwise she'd be lost as to what to do. With Daniel she didn't have to try. With Daniel all she had to do was be herself and it was okay. If she was herself with Leopold, she would've closed the door in his face and there would be no first date, let alone a third.

With each day that passed, her anxiety grew. The New Year deadline was fast approaching, which meant so was the proposal. In exactly seventeen days, her mother was expecting to hear of an engagement. At least she saw it in whatever good graces she had left to give a full year for a wedding invitation to be sent. If Regina couldn't have her groom of choice than she would sure as hell be getting the wedding of her dreams, and that would take some serious time to plan.

For the time being, she stood beside Henry's crib, watching him sleep. She reached down and stroked the soft, dark thick hair on his head. "I'm so sorry, baby. I never meant to give you a stepfather, but I have no choice in the matter. I'm going to apologize right now in case he doesn't treat you right in the future. I'm not worried about the girl, she's proven trustworthy around you. I hope I can continue to protect you, if not there's really no point in going along with my mother's wishes. I'm doing it for you. That's not something I want you to feel guilty about when you're older, either. It's not your fault I could lose you if I don't do this. I may not be happy, but keeping you is worth more than my happiness. You're life itself, Henry. You're my life. I'm not sure I'd be here now without you. But if Emma wakes and it becomes clear your life will be better with her, I'll let you live that better life without hesitation. Even if my incentive for going along with Mother's wishes is gone, there will always be comfort found that I gave you your best chance. Something tells me no one would believe me if I said Leopold raised a hand to you, so I truly hope it never happens. The last thing I want is for you to be doomed to repeat my childhood. Just know I love you, no matter what happens in the future. Know I will always love you." She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his temple.

She took in a deep breath as she made herself walk away to give him some peaceful quiet in which to sleep. It was Saturday, which meant she wasn't required to be at the office unless an emergency came up. There were no mayoral sit ins to attend to, no nauseating fourth date planned that day, she had little else to do but stay home and hide from the public eye. She just hoped she wouldn't be receiving a call from her mother to get an update on her progress; she wasn't in the mood to deal with her that day. She never was, but she was sure if she took any calls this time her voice would show how very close to an emotional breakdown she was. And Cora wouldn't have her daughter showing weakness, oh no. Any detected might prompt an impromptu visit, which Regina avoided much like the plague. It was hard enough stomaching the fact she would be at the wedding, any sooner and Regina wouldn't put it past herself to raid the Center of Disease Control to acquire a disease that would give her an excuse to get out of it, perhaps one so bad that it would then be Cora doing the avoiding.

Regina shook her head with a grim smile. It was very telling the fact that she would go so far as to poison herself to get out of seeing her own mother. Though it spoke more about Cora and less about her. How the woman hadn't gotten Child Services called on her multiple times, Regina would never know. The woman went above and beyond corporal punishment, and all physical damage of the result was cast aside as Regina's own clumsiness. She was that kid at recess who read all the time, but it was hardly out of choice. There was simply little to do whenever you had an arm or leg in a cast, sometimes both at the same time. Regina was sure Cora was going after some macabre entry in Guinness World Records for most broken bones in least amount of time.

Her father had done what he could to protect her before his sudden death at an age where she was still defenseless in protecting herself. She never really stood a chance, and it took her a few years to realize that she had to listen to her mother to the letter to avoid injury. And by a few, well, that's code for her entire childhood. Some of her teachers gave her free As because they felt bad for her, but it was at a time where schools getting involved in a student's home life was something that was frowned upon. Nothing was said, but Regina always recognized it when it happened. There'd be assignments she hadn't even heard of due to her falling asleep in class as the result of not being allowed any sleep the night before. They'd have As next to them, some even exceeding 100% even if the class as a whole wasn't given the opportunity for extra credit. They had been prime examples of quality human beings and some days Regina wished for a miracle that would let her go home to them instead of her own mother.

If there were anything to be grateful about in her childhood, it was the fact she was an only child. She knew she'd never be able to protect a younger sibling, and that knowledge would only serve to break her heart if there were indeed a younger sibling around that needed protecting.

Sunlight streaming in through the window broke her of her spiraling thoughts. Which was a good thing, otherwise they would only lead to self deprecating and blame for things that truly weren't even her fault. She squinted against the glare and decided to occupy herself with an afternoon run in the backyard. She fetched her walkman from its hiding place and blocked out her own thoughts with the music, slipping out the back door.


	14. Chapter 14

Regina tried, really, _really _tried to find her inner zen when it was decided, and decided without her, naturally, that Leopold and Mary Margaret would be guests on Christmas Day. Guests that would never leave. She really tried to find that zen, but it had long left the building. Since it would be rather painful to literally rip her hair out, she did the next best thing. She chopped it all off. What was once almost at her waist was reduced to a short, thick bob. The laughable thing was after Mary Margaret saw it, she asked if she would cut hers the same way. As if Regina could truly repeat it. She had no skills when it came to hairdressing, and it was simply a fluke that she hadn't entirely ruined her hair. The fact that it managed to look good was an even bigger fluke. Each strand cut had been done so in anger.

Regina had five days left of true freedom. Five days of independence before she would belong to someone else for the foreseeable future. She must have done something truly terrible in a past life to deserve this. In fact, she'd take nothing less than actually being Jack the Ripper in a past life, no one found the bastard and now she was paying for it. She hoped she'd just be reincarnated into a cockroach next, those things would never die. Then, having reached the status of immortality, she would take pride in living as a cockroach because then she'd no she could truly go no lower on the scale of things. She couldn't think of anything more hated.

No more Tallahassee trips, then. She'd arrange by phone for the transfer. It was her new goal to get Emma to Storybrooke before getting an engagement announcement out to her mother. Not that the man had actually presented her with a ring yet. He was probably going to use it to ruin Christmas. Naturally he'd want his daughter to witness it. She was really starting to wonder exactly how healthy the relationship between the two was because he talked about her almost as constantly as he talked about his late wife. Eva this, Mary that, Eva this, Mary that. He was practically married to a ghost; it was laughable to think he was capable of a second marriage when he seemed to think he was still in his first.

Regina chose to hide in her paperwork. She had her secretary cancel all meetings lined up, reschedule for January. She wasn't feeling very personable at the moment, and her political mask wasn't enough to hide behind. Professionalism did, after all, require a basic level of being polite and Regina simply didn't have it in her at the moment. She likely wouldn't until the New Year. Unless it came to dealing with Emma's transfer, she could put forth the effort to be polite for that. That wouldn't be until after Christmas, though.

Henry was the only one guaranteed immunity to Regina's various bad moods. He depended on her, and if there were one vow she'd made in life that she would never, ever break, it was that she would never treat a child, especially not her _own _child, the way her mother had treated her. He didn't sleep quite as often as he used to, which was a good thing given his age, but he still slept through quite a bit of the day. When he was awake he began demanding time as a want, when it used to be just for basic needs. He was certainly a welcome distraction, even from work, as he was the only thing to bring her some scrap of joy anymore.

One thing was for sure, Regina was going to become a fiercer Mama Bear than she already was come Christmastime. Leopold had attempted to hold him once, but Regina swatted him away, making sure to put her nails to excellent use. She didn't want Henry being tainted. Not quite yet. It was easier on many levels to trust Mary with him, but even with her Regina kept her guard up. All she and that one other girl had had to do while watching him was make sure he stayed asleep in her absence. Now that his sleeping periods were shortening, trust was going to need to be earned. And she was planning on setting that bar very, very high. If anyone reached it, it would amaze her.

Regina's hand cramped just by signing her name about fifty times, and that had hardly put a dent in the stack of paperwork she had to do. She didn't see the glamour that supposedly came with the job that Mary Margaret was so sure was there. Maybe if there was one good thing to come of being the girl's future stepmother is that she could point her in the opposite direction of a career that did more harm to a person than good. With the girl's personality as it was now, law school would eat her alive. Granted she had the better half of a decade to evolve, but at fourteen she had a sparkle in her eye that Regina couldn't even find in her own reflection at five. The result of pretty lies and sheltering, no doubt. Well, Leopold would be in for one hell of a surprise if he expected her to continue sugarcoating life for his daughter. If the girl truly did want a political career, she'd need to grow a backbone. Regina wouldn't doubt she still cried over Bambi.

She took a sip of her coffee before a babyish coo caught her attention. An effortless smile appeared on her face. "My love awakens!" She stood from her chair and her thighs ached. How long had she been sitting there, anyway? She strode over to the crib. "Hello, darling." She swept Henry up into her arms and blew raspberries against his cheek, loving the squeal it resulted in.

He stretched his legs out toward the floor. Regina chuckled. "You sure you're ready to try and stand again? You gave up and toppled over last time." He persisted. "Okay… If you insist." She lowered him to the ground while keeping a firm grip on his waist so he wouldn't fall completely when he would inevitably fall. His feet touched the ground but he only put his weight down on one. He started to topple forward, but Regina snatched him right back up. Progress was progress. At least he hadn't given up that time; he just didn't have coordinated balance. "You're getting better," she praised and kissed his forehead. "Mama wants to lay down, let's lay down together, yeah?"

Without waiting for an answer, she laid down on the tiled floor of her office, letting Henry flop on her stomach. She closed her eyes, letting them rest for a minute or two. They reopened when she felt Henry crawling up to her chest. "What are you…?" Ah, right. She was wearing a red shirt. He soon took up his favorite koala-like cuddling position. "You know, in a couple of years you're going to start getting really heavy and this is gonna be really awkward." She stroked her fingers through his hair. "But right now it's adorable, so by all means, make yourself at home." She let her eyes close again. It would be incredibly easy to fall asleep on the floor in that moment. She smirked at the appeal. Perhaps she could bring a sleeping bag in and claim to have overnight work for a while to avoid having to share her bed with Leopold. Yes, that would be quite preferable. If only it could work for an extended period of time. Like forever.

For a few minutes Regina did actually fall asleep on the floor, but she was never a person who could sleep for very long on hard surfaces or her back, so both combined made sure she was up no more than ten minutes later. Henry really was getting heavier, and his position was cutting room for lung expansion in half. That probably had something to do with it too. "Okay, buddy," she murmured when she did wake. "Up time." She skillfully got to her feet while making sure he didn't fall and returned to her desk to try her hand at multitasking. Maybe signing papers wouldn't be so bad when she had an adorable baby in her arms.


	15. Chapter 15

Regina's five days of freedom flew right on by, and it was Christmas before she knew it. Despite everything about it that royally sucked, it would be Henry's first Christmas and she wanted it to be special for him. So she did everything that was expected. Set up a tree, decorated it, put up a stocking, bought gifts, and even threw some Christmas lights onto the house. Henry was her focus and no one else. She herself was her own macabre present for Leopold and Mary Margaret, what more could they really expect from her when they would now own her life? Leopold would be getting a wife; Mary Margaret would be getting a stepmother. That would be their damn Christmas present.

Since he loved red so much, she got him a miniature Santa suit. She planned on taking a lot of pictures, and it was holiday appropriate. She also got a photo album to go with the timeline she'd started. So technically Emma owned a bit of her focus. Without her, there'd be no Henry after all. There were children's books among the gifts, some holiday themed, others not. She had a bit of trouble figuring out what to do for stocking stuffers. It was too early for candy and most toys at this stage were still considered choking hazards. The only thing she could find that made sense that wouldn't be too much of a threat was a rattle, though he'd have to wait a few weeks before he could really use it. The handle felt too thick for his tiny hands, and he seemed more interested in clapping than attempting to hold anything. But it would do. There was much else she got, though it couldn't be labeled as gifts as most were either for necessity or something she had been meaning to buy, anyway.

She figured it would get easier with age, when he would start demanding for everything he saw in commercials. At least then she'd know what he liked. Now the only thing she had to go on was red, and generic practical things.

Regina had only an hour to spare after making sure all Henry's gifts were wrapped and put under the tree before Leopold and Mary Margaret showed up. She bit her lip before she got up to answer the door, and nerves were dancing along her veins. Knowing something was going to happen was one thing, living it was quite another. Once she opened that door, it would really be happening. The point of no return would be crossed. She would likely be a claimed woman before the night was out; the deadline was looming just six days from then, after all.

She put on a forced smile as she pulled the door open. "Hi! I wasn't sure what to get, I hope you don't mind. I just got things for Henry, this time." She inwardly cringed at the implication of future Christmases spent together, though she knew it was an inevitability.

Scrawny teenaged arms flung themselves around her. "I'm sure living with us is enough of a present." She turned her head to look at her father. "Right, Daddy?"

"Quite." The man himself held a stack of presents so high his face couldn't be seen. Most, if not all, were for Mary, no doubt.

Regina patted Mary Margaret's back awkwardly. "You're crushing me, dear."

The girl loosened her arms immediately. "Sorry."

Regina took a couple steps back, holding the door open further. "Come in." She waited until both were inside before closing and locking the door. "I'll just go get Henry." She needed a minute. Hell, she needed several. This was already too much. She kept her pace brisk but steady as she went to her room to retrieve the young boy. She found him staring at her through the bars of the crib, as if he were expecting her. She had to smile. "Come on, love. Time to open presents." She swept him up, chuckling at his lack of excitement. "Wait 'til you're older. You'll want to sleep under the tree." She adjusted his red blanket around him so it was like a cape and set off to face the music.

Mary lit up at the sight of him. "He's gotten so big!" she squealed.

"Yes, dear," Regina replied noncommittally. "He has."

Leopold was no longer hidden by presents. He'd sat them down next to the tree, as opposed to under it. Regina guessed it was so they wouldn't be mixed up. Though she knew they wouldn't be, she at least was smart enough to write Henry's name on all of his.

"I was thinking we'd do dinner after presents," Regina announced. "Henry's still sleeping a lot and I'd like him to be awake for this, unless there's any objections?"

Mary looked excited at the prospect of doing presents before food, and Leopold looked as if he didn't particularly care as long as Mary was happy. Just as she thought.

"Well, then, I know everything I've put under the tree, why don't we start with yours?" She took a seat on the floor, close to but a respectable distance from the tree, setting Henry on the floor between her legs, his back to her front. She snagged the camera from the nearby table so she'd have it ready.

Mary sat near the stack Leopold had sat down. She lifted all but the bottom one, moving them to the side to get the obviously thickest present there. Typical, Regina thought, but then she was surprised. "This used to be mine." Mary slid the thick wrapped present over to Regina and Henry. "But Henry should have it now."

Regina blinked a few times at the present, mouth slightly agape. She hadn't expected Henry would get anything from anyone but herself. To have proof she was wrong, well, that just wasn't something she was used to.

"Go on, open it," Leopold urged from where he still stood, as if he were opposed to sitting on the floor. "It won't bite."

Henry reached for it, which was no surprise; the wrapping paper was red and shiny. Regina shook herself into action and dragged the object closer, surprised by the texture that it wasn't a box as she first thought. Now curious, she made her nails useful as she began tearing the wrapping paper away. Finally, a huge brown book was revealed with golden lettering reading _Once Upon A Time_. "Fairytales?" she guessed.

"Not just any fairytales," Mary responded. "They're unique here because they all connect. They're still my favorite telling of them, even now."

The size of the book was daunting. "What, are Greek Gods and mythological creatures in here, too?" It was meant to be a joke.

But Mary nodded. "Some of them." She threw out an example, "Maleficent has a pet unicorn."

Regina snorted. That was different. "Are you sure you want to give this up?"

Another nod. "I've got it all memorized by heart. Fairytales are important. The earlier a child starts hearing them, the better."

"Alright. Thank you, then." But Regina had a better use. The only person who needed fairytales more than a child was one in a coma. They were full of hope, and she could think of no one else who needed more hope in their life at the moment than Emma Swan.

Regina retreated into the depths of her head, letting autopilot take over for the rest of the opening of presents that Leopold and Mary had brought with them. She now had something that would fill her time during visits when she'd run out of things to say. It was a gift she actually felt thankful for, one she wouldn't have thought of herself.

The girl, at least, proved to have uses after all.


	16. Chapter 16

Regina had been right; Leopold did end up using Christmas to propose. At least the ring was pretty. Mary Margaret assumed that Regina was just stunned, that the tears rolling down her cheeks were happy ones. She was wrong. They were there because it was confirmation was Regina truly was trapped. She could say no, but that would mean losing Henry. Not to mention how incredibly awkward it would be living with a man whose marriage proposal you turned down. And his daughter. No, she had no choice but to say yes. Even though she barely said it at all. It was a whisper, one that Leopold thankfully heard because she sure as hell wasn't going to repeat herself. She wasn't sure she even could. It was like being asked permission to have her head chopped off after an execution order was already signed. Pointless and for show.

At least by the 28th Emma was successfully transferred to Storybrooke's hospital. She had the opportunity for escape more often, even though it would no longer hold the anonymity it once had. She would no longer just be Regina, she'd be recognized as Mayor. But Whale would keep his damn trap shut, or she would transfer _him_. She had that power, after all. She could ban him, and he would have no choice but to leave Storybrooke if he wanted to keep his career. There was only the one hospital. He would likely have to relocate to Portland if he wanted to stay in Maine.

As far as Leopold and Mary Margaret knew, Henry was entirely hers. And that was all they would ever know. As long as Leopold was under the illusion of her and her alone having full custody, he would never try to push for any actual right to him. But if he were to find that he was adopted and that the true birth mother was in a coma, well, he'd concoct some nonsense about a child needing two parents and would push for Emma's share of the legal rights. She wouldn't let that happen. That would be the epitome of an unfair custody battle if there ever was one.

No, better to be kept in the dark. Better for her to ensure Whale isn't a source of information in case her mother was curious, too. It was bad enough she knew he was adopted. Regina was lucky she hadn't passed that along to Leopold already. If she did it would prompt him to recite the lie Regina had told, and then Cora would go digging.

"Regina."

She jumped at the voice. She wasn't used to being snuck up on in her own home. She turned. "Yes, Mary?"

"You, uh, just tried to put an entire pot of coffee in one mug."

Regina turned back to the counter and visibly jumped at the sight. She had indeed. The mug was filled to the rim and had overflowed, a brown puddle surrounding it and a trail leaking down onto the floor. "It appears I did." She set the pot down and grabbed a roll of paper towels, setting to clean up the mess. How had she not _felt _that? Her left hand felt sticky after the fact, but she had been so deep in thought she didn't even feel the burn.

"You okay?"

Well that was certainly a loaded question. "I'm fine, dear." Having finished with the countertop, she knelt and started on the dripping trail that led to the floor. "Just got a lot on my mind for when I get back to work."

"Can you take me one day?"

Regina's eyebrows rose. Of all the possible responses… "You'll be rather bored."

"No I won't. I want to be a mayor someday, remember?"

Regina sighed. "Yes, but there won't be anything for you to do now. My secretary handles whatever I don't, and that's all the help I need." She straightened up once she'd finished cleaning the mess, tossing the used paper towels into the garbage. She turned the tap on to wash her hands.

"What about Henry? Don't you take him with you?"

"He's a baby."

"I know. But I could help watch him _and _see what mayoral work is like."

"The only thing you'd see is me sitting at my desk filling out paperwork. No different from what you and everyone else does at school."

"But you…talk to people, right?"

"It would go against confidentiality of meetings to allow anyone not involved to sit in." She turned the tap off. "You're gonna have to sharpen your persuasive skills if you ever hope to convince me, dear." She dried her hands on a towel.

"Maybe something else then."

That was cryptic. "What's that?"

"Bake cookies with me."

"I don't…do cookies." She crossed her arms, feeling slightly embarrassed because she'd never done anything of the sort with her mother, nor had she met any of her grandparents.

"It'll be practice for Henry. You think he won't want cookies when he starts going to school and sees everyone else with them?"

"I see nothing wrong with Oreos."

Mary's eyes widened as she put it together. "Regina…do you not know how?"

Regina scoffed. "Of course I know how!" She picked up the mug of coffee and started to leave the kitchen.

"Right, then you know for chocolate chip cookies you put the chips on after the dough has baked."

"Exactly." Regina was almost out of the kitchen and away from the girl who was getting on her nerves at the moment.

"Regina."

She felt a hand on her elbow, turning her. It took all she had not to snap at her.

"That's not how you bake chocolate chip cookies."

Regina was losing her patience. "Of course. I was testing you."

"It's okay, you know…not knowing how to do something."

Regina fought hard against the urge to roll her eyes and rose the mug to her lips, taking a sip of the coffee as she turned away once again. She wouldn't be sucked into mother daughter bonding activities, no matter whether or not she lacked a common culinary skill. She had an engagement announcement to prepare, and it was expected by the next day. Time was of the essence. 


	17. Chapter 17

It was mid-January before Regina was able to escape to Storybrooke's hospital to visit Emma and make sure her care was up to her expectations. Between her job and Henry and playing house she'd been pretty busy. She was determined to visit once a month at the very least now that Emma was now in Storybrooke, though she would like to work up to once a week. The transfer made little sense if she was going to visit as little as she had in Tallahassee.

She was pleased to find Emma really was given number one priority, complete with 24 hour care. Every little need that came up was being taken care of as it happened. Definitely a change from Tallahassee, where care, though efficient, was given at a minimum. It also turned out the neonatal specialist found going north to be worth it. Which was perfect. Having someone on the hospital staff that knew the truth was a relief. Even Whale's knowledge was strictly need-to-know. He didn't know she was the birth mother of Henry in so many words, but he knew enough to be considered a risk when it came to her mother. Regina wasn't worried about the neonatal specialist in that area. She was knew, and though not impossible, it was very unlikely Cora would find out she'd been the one to help bring Henry into the world. Especially when Cora knew nothing of Emma.

Regina was impressed; the person on shift with Emma present when she came for the visit actually fought her order for privacy. It took the well placed fact that she herself made sure Emma was given five star care, that it would make no sense of her to bring her to harm in any way, to make them back down and leave the room.

Once alone, Regina took the seat the medical personnel had previously, moving it to her liking before sitting down. "Henry has a fever today. He's being checked out right now. I was planning on a visit anyway, but now I'm killing two birds with one stone. I had to tear myself away before I started verbally assaulting the doctors; I know I won't get any answers that way. Leopold said it probably just means he's going to start teething soon, but I don't care what he thinks, and I certainly won't put prognosis in his hands. If I took his word for it and he were wrong, well that wouldn't be very good parenting of me, would it?" She sighed, attempting to push her worry out of her mind.

"Oh, here's an update. I have to marry that filth now. I've been living with him and his daughter for almost a month now and it's driving me insane. I continually thank every possible god out there that he hasn't tried to _really _touch me yet. He will some day, I know that. He is a _man _after all. I doubt he'll be patient for long. I have a year, well closer to eleven months now, until a wedding is planned enough to the point that invitations are sent out, and I highly doubt he'll be the type to wait until after. And it's not even personality that tips me off, it's age. If he waits too long he may start having…problems in that department. And while that may be fine and dandy with me, I doubt he'd share the sentiment. Sex is like air to most men; to be cut off from it would be the end of life itself. In their perspective a wife is useless unless their body can be taken from time to time. Mother can play at the power angle all she likes, I know how men think. Status is a bonus."

She forced herself onto a new topic. "I'm sure you needed to hear none of that, but I have no one else to complain to. I have this book though, now. Full of fairytales. I'll spare you rants about my messed up life for some of my future visits, because at least I'm able to live mine. I can walk and talk and take my anger out on a wall if I wish to. You can't. You just lay there. I can't imagine what it would be like to be aware of the state you're in and be able to do nothing about it. I hope you're not. I hope you're just having a nice long dream, and whatever you may hear is simply a part of it. Hence the stories. Fairytales are nothing if not inspiring hope. That's what you need now. It's been the better part of a year that you've been this way. Seven months. There way not be some magical kiss that wakes you, but perhaps belief will. Encouragement will guide you. Maybe if you hear enough stories of people beating the odds, of opening their eyes when no one seems to think they will, maybe you'll take a page and force your own eyes open one day. I didn't bring it with me today. I got distracted with Henry's fever. Today marks his 15th week, by the way. A week away from four months. Time is certainly flying."

A knock sounded from the doorway. "Mayor Mills?"

Regina bit her lip, channeling the fact that she was startled through that instead of jumping. She turned expectantly.

"You can go back to Henry now, if you're ready."

Regina nodded and waited for them to leave before turning back to Emma. She rose from the chair. "Well, wish us luck, dear." She brushed a flyaway strand of hair out of Emma's face before leaving.

Before seeking out Henry, stalling only the slightest bit, Regina made sure to find the person whose shift had been with Emma and escorted them back to the room. With no other excuses, she returned to where she'd left Henry, bracing herself for whatever news awaited her. She reminded herself that fevers were going to be a common thing throughout his life, but she still couldn't help but be worried.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: The amount of anti-Leopold reviews I've been getting is absolutely outstanding. You know what that means? I'm doing my job right! You're **_**supposed **_**to hate Leopold and want him gone. You're **_**supposed **_**to think Cora is an evil bitch. That's exactly what I want you to think.**

**A couple of points:**

**– Emma WILL wake up, it's set in stone, and says so in the summary.**

**– This is first and foremost a Swan Queen story, it is endgame but as you can tell it is slow burn as shit. It's supposed to be.**

**– In order to get to the main plot with Emma, we have to go through the subplot with Leopold; the impact he has on Regina is an important piece of characterization and will have part in shaping the Swan Queen relationship.**

**Thank you to everyone who is reviewing, favoriting, following, and messaging me about this fic, especially those who have done all four and have reviewed most if not all of the chapters so far. It's what makes everything worth writing.**

**That said, onward to Chapter 18!**

It turned out Leopold had been right, the fever was a sign that teething would soon begin. Regina was caught between contempt at the fact that he was actually right, and relief it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. That didn't mean it would be fun to deal with, though. Teeth beginning to grow in would cause Henry pain. And why wouldn't it? The whole process was basically bones pushing outward from the body, tearing through what blocked their way. Regina was told he shouldn't be in complete agony, but there were definitely some sleepless nights in the future, especially when the first tooth was about to break through.

Sleepless nights were a common enough occurrence as it was for Regina anyway. There was something about sharing a bed with a fiancé you never wanted that lowered sleep on the list of priorities. If not because it made every bone in her body uncomfortable, than because he snored like there was no tomorrow. She had to resort to bringing her walkman to bed if she wanted to escape the sound. That meant her eyes never strayed from Henry in her waking hours, as she wouldn't be able to hear through the music if he started fussing.

Valentine's Day was a joke. She didn't know if it worked for Eva, but an extra hundred dollars didn't feel romantic in the slightest to Regina. In fact, it was almost insulting. It made her feel like a mail order bride, and that's almost exactly what she was. Gillyflowers were also the ugliest flowers on earth, no one could tell her otherwise. Junior Mints… Had he read through a catalogue of worst things to get a girl just to spite her, or was he really that dumb?

But the sad attempt at gifts wasn't even the worst part. It was the very presence of them that showed how truly little he paid attention to what she said. If he'd listened, he would have known to not try to make anything out of Valentine's Day, as that was the day Daniel had chosen to take his life. She wasn't sure how she would handle a marriage to someone without a scrap of human decency to acknowledge one of her few wishes.

It was a Thursday. He didn't wait for her to return from work, he surprised her there. Quite needless to say she hadn't been able to get any work done after that. In fact, once he left the gifts were destroyed. The hundred dollar bill was first, defaced past the point of recognition with sharpie. Both sides were pure black by the time she was finished. Then she tore the petals off the flowers one by one, and considering it was a bouquet, it took a few hours. Only the Junior Mints were spared, and only because she planned to regift them to Mary in his line of vision. Passive aggressively let him know his actions hadn't been appreciated.

Cora said marriage wasn't about liking someone, right? Perhaps it was time to start letting Leopold know just how little he was liked. Get him to shove his smug smirk where the sun don't shine.

Wrong. By the end of the night, Regina reevaluated the worst part of Valentine's Day. It became doubly ruined. Daniel had ruined it once, but it turned out that was just the foundation. Leopold really put the icing on the cake. How ironic it was that just a month prior, save a day, Regina had been thankful for a respectful distance kept. Such gratefulness no longer existed. Apparently he hadn't taken too kindly to Regina's passive aggressive action and his response was an aggression with nothing passive about it.

It wouldn't have been so horrible if there were one tiny change. If Henry hadn't been in the room, Regina might have been able to live with it. But he was, and that fact alone was what made her feel violated to the core. It didn't matter that he'd been sleeping. The fact was he was there. The fact was Leopold didn't have the decency to strike while he was elsewhere. The fact was he simply hadn't cared. He may have rationalized it, may have convinced himself there was mutual consent, but he should've known with a child in the room it wasn't acceptable.

If Regina Mills wasn't a broken woman before, she certainly was after the events of Valentine's Day. Mary began giving her strange glances as she noticed the amount of food on her plate at dinner shrinking. Her secretary had to start making two copies of important documents to be signed as she saw a handful given back to her where the mayor had misspelled her own name. Regina never noticed she no longer had the energy or determination to continue her morning runs.

Whoever noticed Regina's strange behavior never said anything about it. Whether the reason was because she was their stepmother to be, their boss, their mayor, or just because she was an unapproachable ice queen, no one said a word. If something out of the ordinary was going on, it was assumed she was already at work on fixing it. She was Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke, perfectionist no one could slip anything by. If there was a problem, it would be fixed. That was how it always was once she took office after the election. It was what was assumed always would be, something that was taken for granted. However, those who held their tongue would soon come to regret it.

It was a day as ordinary as any other in April. Nothing important about that particular Wednesday. Regina was running late, but she wasn't worried. There was no supervisor to get on her tail, she _was _the supervisor. She was the boss and therefore had the luxury of being late every so often and no one would bat an eye.

In the past she'd never been later than by fifteen minutes. That Wednesday was different.

Regina never anticipated the collapse just outside the office door. She was out like a light before she even hit the floor.


	19. Chapter 19

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Mayor Mills."

It took Regina a few moments to recognize her surroundings. "Dr. Whale?" She looked down at herself. What was she doing in a hospital bed? "What the hell am I doing here?" Her tone went from confusion when he said his name to harsh and cold when she snapped at him.

"You collapsed on your way to work. Your secretary brought you here when she couldn't get you to wake up."

Regina thought back. She did remember going to work, but she couldn't remember ever actually reaching the office. Or anything in transit to where she then was. It made too much sense to be a lie.

"Have you been eating well, Mayor Mills?"

Regina narrowed her eyes. "What do you care?"

Dr. Whale barely held in his laugh. Shouldn't his occupation be enough? "Well seeing as it's my _job_." He held up a hand to stop her from saying whatever her next retort would be. "Truthfully, I already know the answer. I just wanted to make you see it for yourself."

"See what?" Regina growled. She didn't appreciate how vague he was being.

"Well, as long as I've been in this profession, I've never seen anyone faint for no reason."

"Get to the point or I'm leaving."

"Point is, the results of the blood test we ran show that you're anemic. You haven't been getting enough iron. That's what caused the collapse."

"Okay, well, that's easy enough to fix." She started to get off the bed.

"Not so fast, Madame Mayor."

"What now?" Regina hissed, fixing him with a glare.

"We discovered something else. It's a good thing you landed on your back."

Regina rose an eyebrow, not seeing the point.

Realizing she wasn't going to put the pieces together herself anytime soon, Whale supplied, "You're pregnant, Mayor Mills. Congratulations."

It was almost enough to make her faint a second time. The words may as well have physically forced her back into a laying position. She paled as her head hit the pillow. "How far?" It was empty, hollow.

"About nine weeks. I'm going to prescribe some iron supplements; you're definitely going to need them."

Regina just stared blankly at the ceiling, not even realizing when he left the room. That bastard. Pregnancy was not part of the deal. Then again, that dream those months ago should've served as her warning. Damn it, she didn't want his baby, but it was also _her _baby. But it was his. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if that would help her unsee the awful truth.

No, she didn't want his baby. But she couldn't get rid of it. She couldn't do that no matter who the father was. Especially not when she already had a child, one that would remind her every single day of what she'd be missing. How horrible would it be to choose a child with no biological ties over one that was of your own flesh in blood? That would be the most extreme case of playing favorites she'd ever heard of.

There was no choice in the matter, anyway. She'd be married to the father, and how many kids these days could say that? How many kids could say they had parents at all? It wasn't fair. Nothing that happened since late November had been fair. But really, what was one more family member thrust onto her that she didn't want?

She felt sick after that last thought. She knew full well what it was like to know you weren't a wanted child. She'd be damned if she let history repeat itself. She decided she'd simply have to look past the fact of the father. Even if she couldn't stand the thought now, she'd have to learn to love the child. She had to. She would not be made a hypocrite. She had time. Seven-Eight months would be plenty of time. She fell in love with Henry at first glance, and she didn't even have all that time of carrying him in the womb.

She could do this.

Whale returned to the room. "These can be purchased at most grocery stores with proof of prescription, but our pharmacy had some so first one's free."

Regina scoffed, slightly amused. "You sound like a drug dealer."

"Technically anything that chemically changes the body is considered a drug."

"Whale."

"Alright, alright. I got it."

Regina sat up and was handed the small bottle along with the sheet of paper. Her eyebrows got lost in her hair. "300% daily value?"

"As I said. You're going to need it."

"…Three days worth every day? Seriously? That screams overdose to me."

"You don't even have an hour's worth in your system at the moment. As long as you stick to one a day you'll be fine."

"Can I go now?"

"If you wish. You may want to start coming in on a regular basis, however. I know your schedule is already more than busy, but given your condition you should make some time."

"Which condition?"

"Both."

Regina nodded and got to her feet. She waited a moment to make sure she could actually carry herself.

"Oh, and just a recommendation, get plenty of rest tonight, if you can. You should probably increase the amount you're eating. You're visibly thinner when you should be the opposite."

"Is the lecture over now, or are you going to talk at me until I get home?"

Dr. Whale raised his hands in surrender. "I'm done." He made the zipping lips and throwing away the key motion.

"Good." Regina strolled out with a confident stride that gave nothing away about her world being turned completely upside down once again.

She made a brief pit stop at Emma's room. It was learned by now that whoever was doing their part for the 24 hour care would leave when Regina made an entrance. She was both Mayor and emergency contact, if she wanted privacy she would get it.

"Well, this is new." Regina moved next to the bed but didn't sit. She wasn't planning on staying for long. "This would probably be a good time for you to wake up 'cause I could really use some advice, and I sure as hell won't be getting it from my mother. You may only have five and a half months of experience, but it's more than I've got. I mean I've got nine weeks under my belt and I didn't even notice. How did I not notice? Is that normal? How long did it take you to figure it out? Were you constantly checking because you were trying, or did it just happen and you decided it was a good thing? It's April now. It was the middle of June when you got into this mess. It's almost been a whole year. Feel free to wake up any time now. I could use some help."


	20. Chapter 20

"…And so the true Ursula warned, with a threatening undertone, that should the Evil Queen dare impersonate her again, the consequences wouldn't be pretty. The golden tentacles uncoiled, releasing the Evil Queen from their grip, and the mirror was ordinary once again." Regina closed the large book. "I think that's enough stories for today." She chuckled. The Evil Queen was a piece of work, but she thought evil was a bit of a stretch. After what her mother had done to the stable boy, anyone would fly off the handle. Regina found the mother to be the true villain of the piece, with some aiding of Rumpelstiltskin. Regina could certainly identify with the Queen, particularly because of the loss of real love and being forced into unwanted marriages. They seemed to have quite a bit in common.

It was June 10th, a Monday. It was also the mark of her sixteenth week, fourth month. Some macabre curiosity had made her seek out the exact date of conception, which turned out to be four days after Valentine's Day, which had been a Monday also. As of the previous day, Henry was eight months old, or thirty-five weeks on the next day. Regina's book of milestones and photo album were rapidly growing larger.

Henry even identified her as Mama by this point, though his first word was, go figure, red. She still took him to work with her, but had begrudgingly started leaving him at home more. He'd grow to have severe separation anxiety if she never parted from him. But those were never days that Mary wouldn't be present. She never trusted Leopold to be left alone in the same room as him, let alone being left alone in the entire house. Mary was almost like having a live in nanny, though. She loved to help. And she hadn't screwed up yet, so Regina was forced to give credit where credit was due. The girl had turned fifteen by this point, was no longer in middle school, and even volunteered at her high school's day care in her spare time. The fact that a high school even _needed _a day care was proof of how different times were becoming.

Regina felt an odd fluttering in her stomach and quirked an eyebrow. "If that was an attempt at a kick it was weak," she mused. The baby couldn't be more than three inches long, which made for tiny, tiny feet. She returned her gaze to the blonde. "Your hair's longer than mine used to be. It's almost ready to spill onto the floor. People are going to start stepping on it if they don't tie it up." She uncrossed her legs and crossed them the other way. It wasn't quite as elegant as it used to be, but old habits die hard and she wasn't big enough for maternity wear yet, so she tried to keep an air of normalcy.

"The, uh…the wedding is set for September. You should wake your ass up so I don't have to endure it alone. Just having a Maid of Honor is strange. There should be at least one bridesmaid. For being Mayor and all, no one seems to be jumping at the chance to do anything in the wedding other than attend. I think it's because Mother scares my constituents as much as she scares me. And then there's the fact that I also scare people around here. I guess that's what happens when no one in town has a backbone. All the big wedding plans with very few people is a bit hard to pull off. But I'm pregnant, damn it, I'll be getting the wedding I want even if the planning is as tedious as pulling teeth. I'll be in full moodswing mode around that time. I don't think people want to see me turn into Bridezilla if they can't handle me on a day to day basis."

Regina sighed. "Married at 25. Isn't that a bit too young? You're, what, 19 by this point? Would you have married Henry's father this young, even when you had a kid together? Or would you wait until you were in your 30s so he could be ring bearer or something? Maybe it just feels too soon because it's not the right person, but there's not much I can do about that. I've had cold feet since before I even knew a marriage was expected. If I had my way I'd just be focused on raising Henry right now, and thinking up new ways to nudge you back into consciousness. But when do I ever get my way?

Well, hey, at least I'm not anemic anymore. I've had normal levels of iron for a couple weeks now. The pills did their job. I never passed out since that day, either. Suppose that was just a one time thing. I likely wouldn't have figured out I'm pregnant until later without that, so I guess it was a weird blessing in disguise. Which is what this baby is turning out to be. At first I was really terrified, because it's _his _and definitely wasn't conceived out of love. But now I think it won't be quite so bad. I told myself I'd make myself learn to love it, and I think I actually am. It's fairly easy when I ignore the other half of parentage. Sometimes…Sometimes I pretend that someway, somehow it's Daniel's. It may be silly, but it makes it easier to cope sometimes. I don't know why. Daniel and Leopold alike have both ruined me in their own ways. But I suppose I'm starting to forgive. I don't think I could ever forgive Leopold for his share, but Daniel…a part of me does still love him. Maybe I shouldn't, but you can't help what you feel, right?"

She eyed the clock. "I better be going. I can't leave Henry in Mary's hands forever. Plus the baby's making me hungry. I seem to be a bottomless pit now." She rose from the chair, taking the book with her. "Think about waking up, yeah? It really would be nice to have you at the wedding."


	21. Chapter 21

July 19th was when it happened, four days after Regina's 25th birthday. Another life changing phone call.

"Mayor Mills."

"You need to come home!" It was Mary Margaret, her voice unusually high pitched. It put Regina on alert.

"I'm off the clock in twenty minutes, dear."

"No, you need to come home _now!" _

"What is it? Is something wrong with Henry?"

"Just come. Please." The line went dead.

That certainly did a number on her nerves. She swallowed hard as she rose from the desk. She'd never forgive herself from choosing this day to leave him at home if something had happened. Never.

Being twenty-one weeks pregnant slowed her down, but adrenaline works wonders in the right situation. She could've won a medal with the record time she got from the office to her car. It took all her concentration to not break every driving law in existence. Mary never called her at work. Ever. In fact, she never had need to call her at all. And Regina certainly never heard her sound quite like that before.

She was greeted with an inconsolable Mary Margaret when she opened the door. What the hell? "Mary! You have to tell me what's wrong."

The barely strung together syllables she got in response added up to one word: kitchen.

Quite puzzled as to what everything could mean, Regina headed to the kitchen, not knowing what else the girl would mean by saying the word.

_Oh._

That would explain it. Her fiancé lay on the floor, and didn't appear to be breathing. It was an awkward maneuver, but Regina managed to kneel beside him. She felt his neck for a pulse and didn't find one.

She bit her lip. Warmth was already fading, but she grabbed the phone once she was back on her feet anyway. The man was a father. Not just to Mary, but to _her _child. She had an image to uphold as mayor, anyway.

"Send an ambulance to my residence immediately. My, uh, fiancé is unconscious and not breathing." Click.

She shook her head at him as she waited for the ambulance to arrive. Where did he get off on ruining so many lives? First her own, now his daughter was a wreck, and if he died her child would be fatherless. Fucking perfect. Leave her alone with three kids to raise, and that's assuming she wasn't carrying multiples. "You bastard. Bet you're just loving this, aren't you?"

Regina wasn't sure how much later, though it couldn't have been long, when medical personnel seemed to flood her kitchen. She stepped back on instinct, staying out of the way but within earshot. Of course, she wasn't quite as apt with medical jargon as she was with legal jargon. Though she got the gist. It didn't look good.

She was almost on auto-pilot as she followed when they carried him out to the gurney. Then one moment she blinked and she was riding along, with Mary holding her hand in a crushing grip. She couldn't quite recall getting there. She was shutting down, becoming numb. He may end up being the second person in her life she found dead.

Time was meaningless. Life felt like a dream, shuffling scenery from one place to the next because Regina didn't remember getting out of the ambulance either. Nor did she remember the walk to the waiting room. She could no longer even hear Mary's wails, though by the racking of her body she knew they were present.

There was simply nothing. She felt detached. Present but unseeing, as images gradually blurred together, unhearing.

Only when a bright light was shone at her did she feel grounded once more.

"There you are, Mayor Mills. Almost went catatonic on us."

Regina blinked a couple times, seeing white each time her eyes shut. "Did, um…" She was still slightly disoriented.

"Is Dad going to be okay?" squeaked Mary. It sounded like she only asked because she was supposed to, because it was routine, not because she didn't know. The way her voice cracked on okay spoke volumes as to what she thought the answer would be.

"There hasn't been a response yet, but we've still got four minutes. Anything could happen."

Despite knowing those four minutes wouldn't do anything, no matter what the man had said, they were the longest of Regina's life.

As soon as she was pulled to the side, she knew. It could only be bad if they didn't want Mary to hear them say it.

"We did what we could, but I'm sorry…we couldn't manage to resuscitate him. It's possible he was dead before we even arrived."

Regina nodded hollowly. Of course they'd leave it to her to shatter the girl's world. Damn them, they were _trained _to handle informing families of losses. It wasn't her damn job. She pulled on her mayoral mask as she turned, but she hadn't needed to say a word. As soon as Mary saw her, she knew. She was a teenager, and she knew the difference between Regina's normal face and her mask. And there could only be one reason for pulling the mask on at that moment.

Mary's head bowed in acceptance, and only then did Regina realize something was missing. Someone.

Regina took her seat once more. "Mary, sweetheart, where's Henry?" She leaned forward, trying to find the girl's eyes.

"Don't worry, Mayor Mills."

Regina knew that voice. She looked up to see the neonatal specialist who used to belong to Tallahassee, Henry in her arms.

"I took him off Mary when you got here," she explained. "You seemed out of it."

Regina nodded, accepting Henry back into her own arms.

"I'm sorry, Regina. I know –"

"No, no. I don't want pity." She dropped a kiss to the top of Henry's head. "I've got enough to deal with now without it."

"Regina?" It was a different voice, decidedly younger. Mary's. "You're not…You're not going to kick me out, are you? Now that he's gone."

Damn. The girl didn't have anywhere else to stay, and she was only fifteen. "Why would I do that?"

"I've never really felt that you like me."

Jesus Christ that girl had a talent for drumming up guilt. The girl wasn't wrong. But it had always been a matter of proxy. She was Leopold's daughter and she didn't like him, so she didn't like her. It wasn't _her _necessarily.

"I have no problem with you." And that was as honest as she could get. She got to her feet. "Now let's get out of here and go home."


	22. Chapter 22

Mary was like a leech, reverted back to five. Regina found she could go nowhere without a shadow. The girl even hovered outside the bathroom. It was absolutely suffocating. It was bad enough wedding plans turned into funeral plans, that Regina would have to pretend to care in public. She didn't need a second extra attachment to her body.

It was so bad Regina had to resort to working from home. No one questioned it; her fiancé of all people had just died while she was pregnant. They didn't need to know the true reason was because she couldn't get his teenage daughter off her back. It was embarrassing for the both of them, and if it wasn't, it should've been.

"Mary, you have to let me get my work done. I'm working from home so you don't have to be alone all day, I'm sharing my room. Please, find something to do that doesn't involve me for five minutes. Play with Henry, I don't care. I need space. I can't breathe."

Of course the girl would take that last sentence literally, her eyes widening comically.

"Okay, poor choice of wording," Regina amended. "That was meant figuratively. Now go on."

"But –"

"Five minutes, Mary."

Mary dragged her feet as she went, but at least she left.

Regina groaned as she let her head fall back against the couch cushion. _Finally._ A moment of peace and quiet. Maybe she could actually read what she was signing now.

Or not. The papers she was holding fell to the floor at the unexpected kick of the baby. "Seriously? You know you're not getting out anytime soon, right?" It was only the twenty-fifth week and she felt like the baby was a chicken pecking its way out of the egg. Whoever said the baby kicking was a beautiful thing was lying. She'd take the random butterflies over the kidney shots any day. The kid wouldn't be a soccer player; they'd be a damn kickboxer.

Mary's ears may as well have belonged to Sonic the Hedgehog, for she popped back in in no time. "Did the baby just kick?" She eyed the fallen papers.

Regina sighed. "Yes, yes it did." She didn't even bother attempting to pick the papers back up. They were a lost cause.

"So…boy or girl, what do you think?"

"A kickboxing elephant."

Mary snorted. "Elephants have genders, too."

"I don't think anything other than 'where did my feet go?' and 'stop kicking me'." No, Regina held no interest in the guessing game. The day it decided to vacate her would be the day she knew. A sudden hunger pain washed over her. "You kick me and then expect me to eat? Abusive much," she muttered the last part under her breath.

"I can make something," Mary volunteered.

"That's not necessary." Regina started to get up, only to be pushed back down.

"Seriously, you waddle. One wrong step and you'll be Humpty Dumpty." With that she went off to the kitchen.

"I don't waddle," Regina scoffed to the empty room. And she already was Humpty Dumpty, she added silently. All a bunch of broken pieces that couldn't be put back together again.

That was August 12th.

Some macabre sense of justice was fulfilled when the date the wedding was set for became the date of the funeral. It was symbolic, really. The wedding would have been the end of Regina's life, though the funeral was the mark of Leopold's literal death. Karma, it appeared, was a bitch. It was held on the 22nd of September, a Sunday. It felt extremely ridiculous to wear a mourning dress while just a day shy of thirty-one weeks pregnant. But it was what it was.

By this point Regina had stopped counting Henry's age in weeks and moved onto months. Now eleven and a half months, save a day. The year sure flew by fast. If she could, Regina planned to take him to the hospital so they could see Emma on his birthday. If she could. It felt like the baby would be coming any day now.

"Mama," the boy in question snagged her attention, breaking the near silence of the church.

Regina shook her head and rose a finger to her lips. "No." He understood the word now. He didn't quite understand 'be quiet' yet, but he understood 'no'. Hopefully he'd get her meaning. He was sandwiched in between her and Mary on the pew. He could sit up on his own without help, which was a good thing because holding him took tremendous effort ever since she went into the third trimester. He nestled his head against her rounded belly, the action making Regina run her fingers through his hair affectionately.

When it came time to speak, Mary went first, words filled with nothing but adoration and sorrow for her late father. When Regina took the mic, what she spoke were lines she'd literally rehearsed, most untrue but what was to be expected under the circumstances. She treated it like any other speech, only without the political mask. But she didn't let her true face show either, as that would be equally emotionless. No, she donned a new mask appropriate for the scenario. The mask of a woman affected by love lost. And everyone fell for it. Mission accomplished.

The funeral dragged on, long and tedious, but every second was worth it when Regina got to watch the coffin be lowered to the ground. Right where the bastard belonged. It didn't matter that she had to deal with a clinging Mary once again. All that mattered was he was gone and she was free. The nightmares would end.

Or so she thought.

Come November there would be another event to once again change her life. One that would be most important compared to the rest. But that was November. Regina still had a couple months to live of blissful ignorance. 


	23. Chapter 23

It was Henry's birthday before she knew it. After confirming that he was old enough and find out the appropriate serving size, Regina introduced him to cake and ice cream. He was still in transition from baby food to solids, but the baby food was becoming less and less needed as he accepted more solids into his diet. He still made messes at mealtime, but it was more often because he tried to take more than his mouth could hold rather than because he was stubbornly refusing the food. It was easier to clean up from the high chair than it had been with the kitchen counter, if only for the fact that the high chair's counter could be removed and taken to the sink.

Regina ended up using up a full memory card before they even left the house. Little boys who attacked cake with their faces while wearing birthday hats were just too cute to resist. She wanted to capture every moment. She had plenty more memory cards, she stocked up after starting with the photo album. The album itself had as many pages as the fairytale book; hardly a dent was put in even though there had to be at least a hundred pictures in there by that point, complete with dates and captions written on the back.

It was closer to evening than afternoon when they did make it to the hospital.

"Mommy!" Came Henry's gleeful voice on sight of the blonde.

Regina smiled. "Yeah, that's Mommy." She took a seat with him in her lap. Or as much as what was left of her lap, which was little more than her knees. "You're missing out, Emma dear, pictures are nothing compared to the real thing." Henry curled up on her like a puppy. "But at least by coming here you'll be able to say you were there for his first birthday. Even if you don't remember it. I've been writing down when I come to see you, and whether or not Henry is with me. It would be nice to know people cared enough to make a point to come visit, right? Even if it's not a lot of people."

She bit her lip before saying the next thing. It was something she kept pushing away, and saying it out loud meant she was actually considering it. "I was, uh…I was thinking, if I'm having a girl, I could name her after you. Maybe not first name, but middle name. I got to name your child, so it's fitting that you, in a way, get to name mine. I was thinking of Jasmine for a girl. Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? Jasmine Emma Mills." She looked down at the small boy in her lap. "What do you think, Henry?"

"Mmmm…red."

Regina laughed. He seemed to just have three words in his speaking vocabulary: Mama, Mommy, Red. "Alright sweetheart." She patted his head. They could have entire conversations just using those three words. Or at least he could. Regina was still trying to decipher the code. To his credit, the boy would try to repeat random words he heard, but for the most part it all came out as babbling.

Henry chose that moment to then slide off of Regina's lap to proceed crawling around on the floor. Regina let him; there were no cords within his reach he could pull out accidentally. Nor were there any hazards lying about. She likely couldn't have stopped him even if she'd wanted to with how huge she was. It was becoming an effort just to get to her feet. If she could, she'd just lay around in bed all day until the baby arrived. But no, she had a teenager and a baby depending on her now, as well as work. Mayors don't get maternity leave. The day she'd be in labor would be the day she'd truly be out of work, which would mean nothing because giving birth would still be a lot of work.

"You had it easy. All you had to do was lie there. You may have a scar or two from the C-section, but you were out of it. I don't think an epidural will be quite enough for me to be numb, and I haven't decided on if I'm actually getting one, yet. Either way, it's supposed to be worth it. I guess I won't really know until I get there, but if Henry's anything to go by, it will be more than worth it."

Henry turned his head to look at her at the sound of his name.

"Yeah, I'm talking about you, baby boy." She smiled. "Wanna come back to Mama? You're too far away."

Henry seemed to think about it for a moment before crawling back to her. He stopped at her legs.

"Up! I know you can do it. You're a big boy now. Show me how big you are."

Henry used her legs like a ladder, hoisting himself up onto his feet.

Regina gripped his middle and pulled him up the rest of the way. "There we go. Mama's proud of you." She attacked his cheek in kisses, causing laughter and squeals. She stopped getting a few long seconds in. She would never tire of that laugh. She kissed the top of his head, holding him as close as possible while trying not to have his full weight on her. "One year." She rested her chin atop his head. "It's certainly been an eventful one, for me at least. I gained two and a half kids, a second dead fiancé below the belt, and a friend whose also family that happens to be in a coma. Look at me, living the life of a soap opera."

Topic switch. "Halloween's coming up again. Apparently Mary's not too old to go around knocking on stranger's doors asking for candy, so I'm thinking about actually doing something for it this year. Henry loves red so much; he'll probably be a little Spider Man. I've taken a liking to the Evil Queen of the fairytales I've been reading you; I may even dress up as her. Mary's already beginning to ramble about Snow White, so it would make sense. The pictures would definitely look interesting. Especially if I'm still pregnant. A pregnant Evil Queen, wouldn't that be something? You may not be able to dress up, but I think I'll call you Wonder Woman this year. You may not be conscious, but you've been hanging on for over a year now. Others give up way before now, but you haven't. So you don't have to dress up, you _are _Wonder Woman. With a dash of Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty. I'm going to be tempted to braid your hair soon, its length is impressive. Mine is growing back so slowly I don't think it will ever again reach where it had been before I cut it."

"Mama, gry."

"Oh, well, I guess that's our cue to go." Henry couldn't say hungry properly so it was shortened to gry. "Birthday boy calls the shots. We'll be back soon, though. Or if not both of us, then I will."


	24. Chapter 24

Halloween had been an interesting affair. No one had been expecting to see the mayor in costume on their doorstep. Their reactions were priceless. Each and every one of them. Regina and Mary alternated between who got to hold Henry, as Regina was still bulging and about to pop.

Sorting the candy must have been tedious for Whale, as she had him on the phone to tell her which individual brands of candy Henry could handle at his age. It took the better half of an hour before everything was situated. Whatever Henry couldn't have, Mary got, and whatever Mary didn't like, Regina got. Most of what Regina ended up with were sour candies, but that was perfectly fine with her. Being pregnant only increased her liking for all things sour.

And then in the blink of an eye, November 14th happened. The day Regina's water broke. It wasn't an extraordinary happening like some movies and television shows made it out to be. Regina simply woke up to wet sheets, not even having felt a single contraction. It was a few minutes before the first one hit and when it did, she had to grab onto a wall to prevent herself from falling. That thing was potent.

She let out a huff of air, not really wanting to attempt moving out of the hallway anymore. "Mary Margaret!" The girl skidded into her vision, still wearing pajamas. "It's time. I need you to stay here and watch Henry." She paused a moment, still a bit disoriented from sleep. Then it hit her she needed a way to get to the hospital. "Get me the phone."

Mary Margaret nodded and dashed off. She was a speedy little thing because it seemed like Regina blinked and she had already done the task. She took the phone and dialed the number she now knew by heart.

She knew they recognized her voice, everyone did. It allowed her to be as brief as possible. She only needed to say six words. "I'm in labor, send an ambulance."

"Right away, Madame Mayor."

Click.

Regina let the phone drop to the floor, slipping out of her hand. "Help to the living room would be great." If this was how she felt after just a single contraction, well, she didn't quite want to think about how it would feel when they started getting closer together.

Mary took the opportunity to help someone who wasn't a fan of asking for help very quickly, gently pulling Regina away from the wall and wrapping an arm around her waist, draping one of Regina's around her shoulders. "Steady?" Regina nodded. "Okay."

And so began the slow trek forward. The timing was perfect, however. They reached their destination just as the ambulance arrived.

"Unlock the door for them." It was sometime after two in the morning when she'd caught sight of the clock. The door would be locked still.

"Are you sure? Do you need help sitting down?"

"Mary, this baby is coming! Let. Them. In." Out comes the monster everyone seems to turn into while in labor.

Clearly startled by the darkness of Regina's voice, Mary darted to the door to do as she was told.

All was a blur in transit to the hospital. The first contraction had been powerful, but each one after exceeded it. It got to the point where just as soon as she'd calmed down, another would hit. Time once again held no meaning. Seconds became minutes and minutes became hours.

She recognized her living room, there was a blur, and then she recognized the fact she was in a hospital room. The only face she could make out was the one belonging to the neonatal specialist. At least she wouldn't have a complete stranger down by her lady parts.

"We should get you out of your sleeping clothes."

Regina nodded; succumbing to the fact there was no way that would be happening without help. She felt everything, but could barely control her limbs. They were heavy as all hell and aching from contraction pains.

She was in a hospital gown quicker than she would've thought, but she supposed that's what happens when you have about five people helping you. Not like she'd know. She couldn't even name five people she knew on a personal level.

"Arrrrgh!" She didn't even realize it was her own screaming right away, it was so primal. The contraction literally tore it out of her.

"You're doing great, you're doing great Regina. Just don't push yet, it's not time."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, feeling wetness slide down her cheeks. Oh, Leopold would pay. She'd bring him back from the dead and kill him again and repeat it twice over. If he hadn't gone and died she could've at least broken his hand in payback. Because if she had a hand to hold, it would definitely be breaking, because she felt as if she were being physically torn apart, which was semi-true.

She didn't even have _time _to ask for an epidural, by the time she really wanted one, it wouldn't be very useful. The labor was agonizing and really did take hours, but Regina could hardly make a coherent thought let alone speak in a straightforward sentence. When her labor rage did spill over into her voice, her longest sentence was three words. The rest were one or two words that didn't seem to really connect to anyone but Regina. It was like someone pressing mute randomly and repetitively so large chunks of sentences were missing.

Finally, mercifully, she was dilated enough to start pushing.

"Damn it!"

Well, professionals cursing wasn't exactly the best thing to hear given the situation. "What?" There was zero sense in hiding panic, and she probably couldn't if she tried. It was hard enough just _being _at the moment.

"Nothing we can't handle, it's just trying to come out the wrong way. We'll have to turn it around, if we can, but everything should be fine."

Somehow that didn't sound the least bit reassuring.

She couldn't push anymore. Their only option was to get the baby turned around properly because it was too late for a C-section. And damn did having hands down there feel strange. All those hands and one time really should not have been able to fit, but she supposed if a whole baby was going to squeeze out of there, a few hands were nothing.

Though apparently, efforts were fruitless. For being 'nothing we can't handle' they didn't prove to handle it very well. She was told to push carefully. Excuse you, how does one manage that while their whole body wasn't exactly following orders? But damn did she try; she had a life in her hands, her _child's _life at that. She tried like hell.

But as with a lot of things in Regina's life, it wasn't meant to be. The head became trapped, and since the rest of the body was already out, the umbilical cord stopped doing its job. Too much oxygen was lost in the time that was spent trying to figure out the best way of removal to not damage the neck, and she suffocated. The fetal heart monitor alerted Regina to what happened before anyone else did.

Regina was crushed. She had to know, though, what she had lost. "What…What gender?" Her voice cracked in a way it never did while she was in public, but she was exhausted from all she'd endured, with nothing to show for it.

"Female. But, Mayor Mills –"

"Stop. Stop. I know, she's gone." The last two words were a heartbreaking whisper.

Jasmine Emma Mills it was after all, and she hadn't had the chance to live.


	25. Chapter 25

Maybe it made her a masochist, but Regina had to hold her baby, just for a moment. If she didn't she would forever burn with curiosity as to what she looked like. It was going to be bad enough she'd never know the person she'd grow to be, she needed the basics. She saw a bit of everyone. Herself, Leopold, Snow, and even Cora. She could see tiny pieces of them all on her deceased daughter's features. What little hair she had was just a shade or two lighter than Regina's own.

She was beautiful, another angel to join the ranks. More tears slid down Regina's cheeks, and she couldn't stop herself from pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Jasmine, you did nothing wrong." Her voice was little more than a whisper. She stroked her cheek with her finger. "You be good, okay? And know that I do love you."

The unsuccessful birth had taken a toll on her body, and she was told it would be best to stay overnight and get some rest. But how could she be expected to sleep? How could she be expected to do much of anything anymore? Only one person in the world would understand how it felt to have your baby unexpectedly taken from you, even if it was to be a future understanding.

So, once alone, Regina got up and crossed through familiar halls until she reached the only room that held meaning. "Out," she barked at the unfortunate soul on duty of Emma's watch. "Say a word and I swear it will be the last thing you do." The threat, empty or otherwise, was taken for face value and soon the room only had the two occupants.

Regina didn't sit on the chair, no; she sat on the edge of the hospital bed. It was spacious enough, with room to fit a second person if desired. And today, it was desired. "I lost her. Today served as both the birth and death day of my daughter…Jasmine Emma Mills." She shifted closer, brushing strands of blonde hair out of Emma's face. "There has been so much death this year. If it must come in threes as they say, please don't be the third. I need you to hang in there, okay? You've been excellent. Henry's too young to understand, but he loves you so much already. He knows you're his mother too. I don't think I could bear explaining he lost both biological parents when he grows older, so please spare me the responsibility." Her head drooped, bringing their foreheads to meet. No wonder she was being kept over night. What little energy she had was waning. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open, and her vision was still blurred by tears. She didn't notice the way they dripped onto Emma's skin.

"Don't die," she whispered. Her head rolled to the side so they shared the pillow, though her chin came to a rest on her shoulder. "Wake up." Her eyes finally slid closed, to heavy to keep open. Her last two words were said on the brink of consciousness. She never heard herself add, "For me."

When Regina returned home the next day, the scene that greeted her would have been hilarious given any other situation. Mary held Henry, looking very much like the part of a worried and angry mother catching their teenager sneaking back into the house. No, Regina didn't have time to laugh. The world was too busy crashing down around her from the moment she laid eyes on the two. As soon as the door shut, an anguished cry escaped Regina, and she slid to the floor, overcome with loss once more.

Mary quickly placed Henry on the floor, letting him roam where he may, and dashed to Regina's side. She knelt beside her, pulling the older woman into her arms. "Regina…"

"I l-lost her!" Regina didn't fight the embrace; she needed it, even if she were to deny it later.

"Her? I had a sister?"

All Regina could do was nod into her shoulder. Her throat was too thick to let any more words out. All that escaped were the horrible, heart wrenching sobs.

Mary had never seen her almost stepmother in so much pain. It was the first time she felt the woman was actually being herself around her. She didn't seem even a fraction as affected by her father's death, but perhaps that was because it had been Mary's time to fall apart. Now, well, Regina had two deaths to grieve about. It was her turn. Time for Mary to at least try to be the strong one, even though the loss of the little sibling she had wanted so much hurt her deeply.

Mary began rubbing her back, instinctively knowing the usually bristly woman wouldn't turn down affection for the moment. "Nothing can be said to make this better," she murmured. "Neither can anything be done. Just don't let this ruin you, please. You and Henry are all I know in this town and all I have left. I don't want anything happening to either one of you."

Her words only served to make Regina cry harder. She'd been ruined long before all this. And damn, the girl cared, she actually cared. It was something she was unused to, and made her feel guilty all over again. She couldn't bring herself to care for the girl, even now; she was only and would only ever be indifferent. The kindness shown was unspecific and credited to the fact she was still a child. Yet the girl was one of the few she could count on one hand that had ever actually cared about her. Life sure enjoyed throwing irony every which way.

It was that fact and that alone which made her change her mind about sending the girl on her own way as soon as 18 hit.

When Regina finally managed to peel herself off the floor, she made a beeline straight for her decanter.

"Regina," Mary sounded disappointed, while trying to be gentle. "That's not the answer."

"There isn't one, dear. You said it yourself, nothing can be done. Besides, it's just cider."

"I also said not to let this ruin you. You think I don't know what you put in that stuff?"

Ignoring her, Regina poured herself a glass. "I've been denied a mere drop for the better part of a year. And I can think of no time more deserving than now." She downed the glass only to find Mary in her face once she lowered it.

"That's all you get." Mary snatched the glass from her hand, returning it to where it had been. Next she snatched the decanter and was off to the kitchen before Regina could make a swipe at it.

By the time Regina got to the kitchen, Mary had almost finished pouring its contents down the sink. "I am _not _watching this happen again. Not when I'm old enough to do something about it." The metaphorical putting of her foot down was punctuated by the decanter clanking on the kitchen counter once it was emptied. She crossed her arms as she turned to eye a livid Regina. "Henry is one, Regina. _One."_

"Henry's age is of no consequence –"

"It is when he depends primarily on you!" The snap affectively shut Regina up. Coming from someone she believed to be a docile creature, it was stunning. "You do _not _get to turn to alcoholism and forget about one child just because you lost another."

"I would _never _forget –"

"Do I look like I'm finished? You're doing the exact thing Daddy did after my mother died. Did you ever actually ask what his cause of death was?"

Regina wisely chose to stay silent this time. She was sure she was about to find out.

"His liver was wrecked from all the times he may as well have bathed it in alcohol years ago. He paid for the mistakes of his past, for the _grief _of his past. Tell me, what happens to Henry ten years from now when he's barely out of elementary school when you suddenly keel over and die because you've abused your liver too much now? Where does he go? Does he get thrown into the system once he's an orphan? Who knows where I'll be ten years down the line, I may not be able to help him though I would in a heartbeat. You are _so _good to him. Better than a bunch of strangers would be. Why break his heart and ruin his life because _you _got your heart broken?"

And there it was, all that politician potential Regina hadn't thought she had. It was sobering, literally and figuratively, to say the least. "Point taken."

"Rant, rave, cry, punch the walls, take time from work, stay in bed all day…do whatever it takes but don't cut yourself off from your emotions. Other people get hurt."

Regina wanted to protest that she couldn't cut herself off from her emotions if she tried, that that was the whole problem, but she refrained from doing so as it would only be walking in circles and she _really _had her fill of being chewed out by a teenager for one day.

"Bed. Good idea." And off she went.


	26. Chapter 26

Thanksgiving that year was a bit dampened, if only for the fact it was exactly two weeks after the birth and death of Regina's baby. She still took Henry to see Emma, though. It was something they had done the previous year, and it had been one of the last good times Regina could recall having before Cora upped the ante and threw more shit her way. Before she was forced to share her living space, before her pregnancy.

Christmas was a sour event. Leopold had ruined it the previous year with his proposal, and Regina would never look at it the same way again. Though she did have to admit it was much more easy going without him present, even though his daughter was.

Suddenly it was 2003, the beginning of Regina's fourth year as mayor, also the last year of the term. Though seeing as how there was no term limit and no one was making an effort to put themselves against her, it was fairly obvious Regina would be getting at least another four years as mayor. Who knew, by the time those four years were over, Mary would be turning 20 that year and would perhaps take over. Though Regina finally did see the potential for her in politics, the more time passed the more it became apparent Mary had a natural instinct when it came to the care of kids. Henry was starting to grow attached, which prompted Regina to at least attempt to care about the future of the girl she was currently living with. Her being good with kids gave her the idea to suggest a career in education as opposed to politics, though she hadn't quite worked up to it. She'd allocated numerous points as to why it would be preferable, such as far less emotionally and mentally taxing, though she knew facts from another's perspective could be manipulative from experience. She didn't want to do to someone else what her mother had done to her.

Valentine's Day arrived and Regina wasn't quite sure how she made it through the day. It had been bad enough that it was the anniversary of the death of the only person she'd ever held a deep connection with. But now there was Leopold to deal with. He'd done something that day on the previous year that she would never forget, because the damage was irreversible. It was bad enough having one person she couldn't say no to, and then he'd gone and added himself to that list. As if that wasn't bad enough, the consequences of that day were still very raw. The unwanted pregnancy, along with the loss of the daughter she'd pushed herself to love so hard that when all was loved and lost she'd nearly destroyed herself. Every single thing connected to that day in some way, shape, or form had replayed in a merciless loop in her head that was never ending. She finally had enough when at four in the morning she still couldn't sleep and had taken a dose of strong sleeping pills to escape into the depths of sleep, brain so exhausted it didn't provide nightmares to taunt her with.

Mother's Day was particularly hard, and Regina was rather possessive of Henry the entire day. The only time that let up a little bit was when they went to see Emma. From the very beginning she'd said they would be there each Mother's Day until she woke up, and she wasn't about to break that promise.

By June Mary was 16 and Regina considered Emma to be 20. She didn't know the woman's exact birthday, but if she was 18 in June of 2001, it only made sense for her to be 20 in June of 2003. Regina herself felt older, knowing that come July she would be closer to 30 than 20. She liked being where she already was, smack dab in the middle. Of course if she were honest, she hadn't felt young for a very long time. She was an old, broken soul in a young body.

July 19th was a bit of a walk on eggshells day, being the first anniversary of the death of Mary's father. As a salve, Regina let her be with Henry longer than usual for the day. She didn't need the girl becoming an inconsolable mess once more, the first time had been one time too many. The girl's clinginess had certainly risen in the ranks on Regina's list of pet peeves and she would do just about anything to avoid dealing with it again. One couldn't entirely label giving up some time with Henry as a selfless action, as she held plenty of benefit from it.

October was upon them in a blink, bringing them to Henry's second birthday. He'd grown and made such progress throughout the year since his first birthday, many pages filled both notebook and photo album. His vocabulary had grown considerably, and he could form short sentences such as the most adorable 'trick or treat' Regina had ever heard. Red continued to be his 'favoritist' color. His new favorite activity consisted of the theft of noses and the pursuit of getting them back. Mary was dubbed 'May-ee' because while his speech had greatly improved, there was still plenty of room for improvement. His ls and some of his rs turned into ws in the cutest fashion. He protested to not being 'wittle'. Mama was 'pwetty'.

November dared to show its face once again. Fourteen days in, Regina started a new tradition of lighting a jasmine scented candle in honor of her deceased daughter. The birth certificate had been framed and the candle guarded it protectively. Thanksgiving brought Regina and Henry back to Emma, third year in a row. It had been nearly two and a half years, and the woman still showed no signs of waking up. That didn't stop Henry from updating her in his own words of what she was missing, though. Except, he didn't really know that she was missing out, just that she was really really 'sweepy' like bears during really cold months. He kept repeating with a confident tone that 'Mommy's wittle cold' and would 'warm up and unsweep'. It was heartbreakingly adorable. A child's mind and heart were the eighth and ninth wonders of the world. 


	27. Chapter 27

The years continued on with no particular eventfulness. Except Mary got a crush on a boy named David, who was around her age. Regina found fun in embarrassing her about it.

"No sex is safe sex," she reminded her often just to see the look on her face that never changed or got old with time. Regina was thankful that the thought of sex seemed to mortify the girl. Dealing with a pregnant teenager was not on her bucket list.

"Don't be late for the ball," she'd tease as the girl threw clothes about trying to decide what to wear for dates. If one wanted to call them that.

"Best be back by midnight, lest you wish to be a pumpkin," she'd say just before the girl would leave.

That started back in 2004 a few months before Mary turned 17. Two years later and the lovebirds were officially an item. Regina found herself with a strange maternal feeling of letting go as the years went by, as if the girl meant more to her than she actually did. Or that's what Regina told herself.

At least she still had Henry. He turned 3, and then 4. Still young enough to be cute and adorable, and Regina got a whole year left with him before he could be sent off to kindergarten. Though that whole year dwindled fast and since her 29th birthday was passed there were less than three months left for Regina to have him all to herself. Now 19 and a high school graduate, Mary's presence was treated more like that of a roommate. She was a legal adult with voting rights. Regina's job was done.

Mary's time became spent more and more out with David and less and less at the still mayor's place. Both volunteered at a local animal shelter. Regina recognized a lot of herself with Daniel in the two of them, which prompted Regina to threaten to personally throw David out of town if he hurt the girl in any way, shape, or form. She wasn't above it, and as mayor, she certainly had the power. It had both done its job and affectively scared the young man enough that he practically clung to Mary and averted her gaze whenever all three were in company. It was rather amusing, because she had been pretty nice about it instead of threatening castration like she'd first thought to do.

July 31st, 2006 was a particularly stressful day for Regina although it proved to be no different than any other ordinary Monday. Sure the new reporter for the newspaper, The Mirror, Sidney Glass, had wasted much of her time trying to get her interested in stories hastily thrown together that she doubted held even a grain of truth. She only accepted on the chance he may have something of value, but it seemed it would be a long time before that happened. The drivel he wrote may be fine for her constituents, but it had to be something damned special to peak the mayor's interests, and that was just a standard rule. It was also a poorly concealed secret that he had a massive schoolboy crush on her, for which Regina could hardly care less. Her interest was so far beyond zero she barely batted an eye at the concept anymore. At first it was a nice change to have someone begging and pleading with _her _for once, but it had fast grown annoying.

But Sidney's sad attempts to impress the mayor were hardly cause for the stress Regina felt. She couldn't pinpoint the cause, and that only served to aggravate her further. She doubted it would feel any different if she had Henry there with her. Sometime between his third and fourth birthday she had stopped bringing him to work with her. Mary had become her official babysitter of choice, even if David was sometimes a package deal, and to be quite honest the older Henry had gotten the more of a distraction he'd become. It was too easy to drop everything to be with him, and that was a no no for the mayor. She knew she had to stop and so she'd finally weaned herself off of his presence while at work. She had to admit it was nice no longer having strange looks because she had a baby/toddler in her office during meetings.

Cora had been blissfully nonexistent, so it was nothing her mother had done that had heaped stress onto Regina's shoulders, either. Regina thought from time to time to call and check that she was at least alive, but always convinced herself she liked the silence too much to change it. She had been her pawn for the very last time.

No ominous stacks of paper looming, either. Oh, the stacks still existed, but she could actually reach the bottom in the span of a week as opposed to never reaching it at all.

Regina was so focused on the sheet of paper that had been faxed to her, she jumped a mile in her rolling chair when the phone rang, causing it to roll back and almost hit the window. She pulled herself back to the proper position at the desk and answered, "Mayor Mills."

It was Whale who greeted her on the other end of the line. "Our priority number one is awake."

Regina's back was suddenly ramrod straight. "You mean…?"

"Emma Swan, yes."

Regina forgot to breathe. Over the years her faith had begun to wane, but it had never been for too long, because whenever she looked at Henry, who was so sure himself, and who was also beginning to look like his blonde mother, the faith jumped right back up. However, the length of time until this moment was astounding. Five whole years with some change. Half a decade. An 18 year old in a 23 year old's body.

"And she is freaking out, almost smacked an unsuspecting member of our staff who had come in to check her stats. I think at this point you're the only one who can calm her down."

"At _this _point? How long has she been awake, exactly?"

"About five minutes. It's obvious she doesn't have all her motor functions, but she has enough that prevent us from getting a good read on her recovery. You would've been called sooner as we'd ideally like to know the state of her condition as close to waking as possible to know what to say when we called. But she's been making that complicated."

"Alright, I'll be there in half the time it took you to call." And she hadn't been lying. Not even three minutes had passed from the time she hung up to when she walked into the room.

The woman was flailing at everyone who tried to approach her, it was like watching a badly coordinated attempt at karate. Her eyes were open but seemed to be looking at nothing but the ceiling. In fact, the flailing arms seemed to be the only sign she'd actually woken up.

Regina stepped closer cautiously, hoping to not get a black eye if she got hit. "Emma," she spoke as softly as one might while approaching a wild deer.

The flailing arms automatically stopped and blue green eyes snapped to look in her direction. What Regina saw there was astounding. Recognition.

_That voice. _Emma knew that voice. She'd heard it many times, though she couldn't always understand what she was saying. That was her angel's voice. Sometimes she could swear she even felt the form of the woman the voice belonged to, but that was impossible. There was never a face put to that voice, but the sight Emma was greeted with certainly did look like an angel.

Regina nodded. That was good. She continued her approach, still cautious in case the blonde lashed out again. "I told you once before, but I'll tell you again. My name's Regina." She knelt down beside the bed so she wasn't towering over her. "Can you blink so I know you heard me?"

Emma tried and succeeded to blink. She hadn't been able to when she'd tried earlier. Perhaps being in the presence of her angel was helping her.

A soft smile graced Regina's features. "Good. Now I need you to listen to me for a moment. Blink once for yes and twice for no. Do you remember what hospitals are, what they're for?" Blink. "And the nice people who work at them, the doctors, you know they're there to help people?" Blink. "Good. That's good. Try not to hit me when I tell you this. We're in a hospital right now. There's doctors here who want to help you so you can leave, but so far you haven't let them. I'm going to take one of your hands now, okay? I need you to blink for me if you can feel it when I do." Regina gently took Emma's right hand into both of her own. "Blink if you feel me." Blink. "Very good. Can you try to squeeze one of mine?" Blink. A moment later Regina felt the hand clasped between her own curl lightly around her bottom hand. "There we go. Okay, you have some control over your hands. Will you keep them still for me and let the doctors do their work? It's important, and I'm not going anywhere."

Emma blinked again. If her angel said it was important, it was. It made her feel a lot better about the strangers crowding her earlier once she was assured they hadn't meant her harm. Plus her angel wouldn't fade away as she had so often done before. She would still keep her safe.

Regina stepped back to let Whale and the others do what they must to discover what state of recovery Emma was in. She was grateful the blonde didn't seem to remember the accident or the fact that she had been pregnant just yet. One step at a time. She kept in line of Emma's sight because she could tell her presence was comforting to her. What an odd concept.

It turned out Emma was getting stronger as more time went on, and for how long she was out of it, what abilities she had retained were truly remarkable. She seemed to remember her voice halfway through the doctors looking her over. "…Gina." Poor thing sounded exhausted, even after all those years of sleep she got.

"I'm still here," Regina reassured.

"Her vision seems to be just the normal amount of impaired; she may have worn glasses or contacts before the accident. Nothing was damaged in that department. She hears us, which is good, and it's obvious her sense of touch is at least partially intact. She shows basic levels of response to direction, such as following a light with her eyes or squeezing a hand. She's able to sit up with help, but it will take physical therapy for her to relearn how to walk. There seems to be holes in her memory, perhaps because she's still in a state of shock over the accident and it's blocking her memory as a way of protection now that she's awake. She'll have to be eased back into solid foods so her body doesn't automatically reject them. But for someone who's been out for five whole years, she's on a faster track to full recovery than most would be. Some might not even have a chance for full recovery, but Ms. Swan certainly does. She seems to recognize you, so all the time you took to visit seems to have done a considerable amount of good for her."

Regina nodded, taking in everything Whale was keeping at a quiet level so Emma wouldn't hear, as the brunette didn't want to leave her sight when she was still in a relatively vulnerable state. "And she'll continue to be number one priority until she's fit for discharge." It wasn't a question.

"Absolutely. I'll round everyone up to get out of your hair, now. You've waited a long time for this."

Soon Regina and Emma were the only occupants in the room. Regina pulled a chair up close to the bed. "See? Still here. I told you I wasn't going anywhere."

Emma smiled, albeit tiredly, and it was a beautiful sight to see. "You…angel." That wasn't entirely what she'd wanted to say. The my was missing, as was half of you're. It was frustrating, but not so much that she was going to let it bother her. Not yet, anyway.

Regina chuckled. Though awake, the blonde was still totally out of it. "I'm what now?"

"My angel." There. That's what she'd wanted to say.

Regina felt her heart flutter. She'd been expecting an to be used not my. No one had called her their angel before, not her parents and not even Daniel. But still, this was a woman waking up from a coma she didn't remember falling into. It meant nothing. "If that's what you want to believe, dear." She'd keep Emma's wakefulness to herself a while longer. Henry, though he meant well, would scare the daylights out of her. Regina didn't want to do that.

"You are. Talked to me all the time."

Regina nodded. "I did. Do you remember what about?"

Emma scrunched her face up as she thought in a way that so closely resembled Henry's thinking face that the reminder hit Regina like a semi-truck. Her family was complete. Of course, that was assuming she wanted any part of them when she got her memories back. "Stories," Emma answered. "Princesses, princes, magic…"

"Anything else?"

"Sometimes you seemed sad. Can't remember the words. Maybe…never said. Sometimes just sounds, but you."

Regina nodded again. It made sense the woman wouldn't remember most of the specifics, in fact she was impressed with the detail she'd recalled with the stories. Sure it wasn't a lot of detail, but it was more than she had for anything else.

"Wished you weren't."

"Wished I weren't what?" Regina's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"Sad." The answer was so simple and so earnest that Regina wanted to cry.

"Don't leave?" Well her mouth shortened the question Emma had been intending by quite a bit. The full question was you aren't going to leave again, right? She reached out her hand, but it would only go so far.

"I told you I'm not leaving." Regina took her hand gently. "Why would I leave?"

"Always do," Emma answered with nonchalance. "Eventually." Emma didn't want her to leave again. She was always left alone and sometimes it was for long periods of time that made her wonder if her angel was ever going to come back. If she'd somehow done something wrong.

"Well, not this time."

That made her feel loads better, but she still had to be sure. "Promise?"

Regina squeezed her hand gently. "I promise, Emma." 


	28. Chapter 28

**AN: I may not have any updates tomorrow through Sunday as I will be spending time with my family and just know I won't have the privacy to write. Quick question before I proceed with the chapter. How many of you would follow a tumblr blog dedicated to this fic? Answer in a review or PM, please and thank you.**

**EDIT: The aforementioned tumblr blog is now made. Url is swanqueenguardianangel. Have questions? Ask. Have fanart? Please do send. Wish a chapter was different? Alternates are just an ask away! Want a scene not included? Begin your ask with 'what if' and continue on. For example: What if Jasmine lived? I would respond with a scene or ficlet providing the scene you enquire. Hate on Leopold and Cora all you like, but not on the overall story or me or each other.**

Regina kept her promise as long as she could; staying long after the blonde had fallen asleep. She'd called Mary to let her know something came up at work, which wasn't quite a lie if you looked at it a certain way. She'd been called while at work, and it had been certainly an event that came up. The implied part that she was still at the office was what wasn't true. Still, by the time five in the morning rolled by, Regina knew she had to relieve Mary, and possibly David, at some point. She hadn't been home yet, so she didn't know who all was there. As long as she didn't come home to an impromptu party or interrupt any sexual activities, she'd be good. Mary wasn't that type, anyway. It was with a bit of reluctance, or a lot, that she left the hospital, but it needed to be done. She wasn't sure how possible it was for someone to slip back into a coma after they'd awakened, and that had been part of the reason she'd stayed so long in the first place. After the first hour or so, Regina could tell that Emma was different in sleep compared to her comatose state. She stayed with her longer because she'd promised not to go and she simply wanted to. But she did have to go, and Emma would be fine.

Emma had been afraid to fall asleep, so she'd stayed awake as long as she could. If she fell asleep, she'd be back where she'd been before. But her angel wouldn't. She'd only promised to stay where she was, which wasn't there. And that place was so lonely and unbearably bright without her angel. Regina. She doubted that would change. The only times she'd felt really peaceful had been when that lovely voice was surrounding her. But her presence really did have a calming affect, and as their hands were held together, it all but forced Emma's eyes closed and she succumbed to sleep. She never felt that warmth leave, so though she couldn't see or hear her, she assumed Regina was still there.

Which made it harder to wake up to an empty room.

Well, it wasn't empty. It may as well have been, though. A doctor was present, but Emma found she was still apprehensive in their presence without Regina round. As she adjusted to wakefulness, she realized that the warmth actually had gone at some point, though she didn't know when. Was Regina even real, or had she imagined her? Or maybe she was dead, like a real and proper angel, and had only been corporeal long enough to help Emma readjust to being in the land of the living. She had no other name for the place she'd been before than Limbo, as she always felt like she'd been hanging in the balance. It made sense; she was in a hospital after all. But there was only one way to find out.

"Is she real?"

"Oh! Ms. Swan, you're awake. If you mean Madame Mayor, yes, she's very real."

Emma was confused. "I mean Regina."

The doctor nodded. "Yes, that's her. Don't worry, she exists, you weren't hallucinating. I'm sure she'll come in again later. How are you feeling today?"

"Okay, I guess." But she hurt. Not physical pain, but hurt. She'd known she would always leave, after all she always did, but she'd believed her promise. Angels weren't supposed to break promises.

"Are you sure?"

The question puzzled her. Had she not just said? Then she realized there was a wet trail on her cheek. Damn, she hated that someone caught her crying, even if it was only a single tear.

"You know you have to tell us if something's bothering you, right? Even something small. Mayor – er, Regina, would fire someone if anything happened to you on our watch."

Was something bothering her? Yes. Was it something a doctor needed to know? No. Why? It was embarrassing. Also it wasn't anything a doctor could fix. "I'm fine," she insisted.

"Alright." The female doctor decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. "Are you thirsty?" The first step in weaning Emma off of the provided nutrients would be to take out the water IV and see how she handled bottled water.

Come to think of it, her throat did feel pretty dry and her voice sounded scratchy even to her own ears. Emma nodded.

"Okay, I'm going to take one of the tubes from your arms now, and then I'll bring you some fresh water." She was cautious after the way Emma had woken up the previous day. She was like a horse; one wrong move could frighten her and result in injury. Whose it was would be anyone's guess. She made sure to be kept in sight during her approach. "I need you to keep still for a moment while I remove these." With no obvious protest from Emma, she did what she had to do, leaving all the other tubes in place that didn't need to be removed yet. "There we go. I'll be right back."

Then Emma actually was alone. In the other woman's absence, she let a few more tears slide down her cheeks. She wanted Regina back. Not only that, she wanted to remember. What had happened to her in the first place that landed her in the hospital? She remembered her name and being bounced from home to home. She remembered her vow to run away to freedom. Was that when something had happened to her? Did she finally get out? She didn't know. And it pissed her off to no end. She hated not knowing. It was like that one foster father she'd had with many drunken personalities. He would strike at her, try to sleep with her, or simply pass out. She never knew which to expect and it had terrified her. Fear and anger had gone hand in hand her whole life. Fear of what was about to happen or what would happen again and anger that she was too powerless to stop it. Anger that no one was there for her, anger that her parents had abandoned her, and sometimes anger at herself for surviving being left on the side of the rode with some boy she couldn't remember. Now she couldn't remember what landed her in the hospital and that angered her, too. Life was so unfair.

The same woman reappeared, bottle of water in hand. "First we'll have to see if you can hold this on your own."

Emma rolled her eyes, which then made her slightly dizzy. Why were they treating her like an uneducated child who couldn't take care of herself? She was pretty sure she could manage holding a damn water bottle by herself. When the doctor was close enough, she snatched the bottle from her hands, just to show what she could do. She found her grip to be less than as satisfactory as she'd wanted it to be, but it still got the job done.

"Okay, that was the easy part. Open it."

Again, Emma thought it would be easy, but it proved to be quite the opposite. The stubborn cap refused to turn. Though it was likely because it was a tight cap that anyone would have some trouble opening.

Likely, but not the case. The woman took the bottle back and had it opened in less than a second. Emma couldn't stop her glare. If it was that easy how come she couldn't do it herself? She really wished someone would just tell her what the hell happened instead of beating around the bush. That's what they did in the movies and television shows, when a patient woke up, they immediately informed them of what had happened. But apparently real life didn't work that way.

"Okay, be careful not to spill and take careful sips." The woman handed the bottle back to her.

Emma found her hand shaking this time, that always happened when she got too mad, but thankfully the water didn't go sloshing out. She rose the bottle to her lips and took a small sip as directed. The cold water felt glorious, she hadn't realized just how parched she was. It took all her will not to guzzle the whole bottle down. "I feel like it's been ages," she stated once she forced herself to stop. The woman's expression was highly unreadable. What gives? Regina treated her with carefulness but at least she'd been emotive about it, human. Human in a completely radiant and angelic way, of course. Or maybe that was simply setting the bar too high. Perhaps Emma should cut them some slack.

"Still feeling okay?"

Why was the woman _still _asking her that? She was fine! "Yes."

"No uneasiness in your stomach?"

Emma tilted her head. "How would water make my stomach uneasy?" She seriously wished why everyone was walking on eggshells with her. What happened that was so bad that needed hiding? "And is anyone going to tell me why I'm here?"

The woman shifted uneasily. If the mayor hadn't told her, it obviously wasn't meant to be told. "Someone will," she answered vaguely.

_"When?" _asked Emma in exasperation. She held the water bottle out, no longer wanting it.

"When you're both ready." She took the water bottle back.

Well wasn't that all nice and cryptic. Emma sighed in frustration. That may as well mean never. "I'm going back to sleep," she mumbled. She had nothing else to occupy her time with.


	29. Chapter 29

"You're back." 

"Why do you look so surprised?"

"You left."

Those two words were enough to send guilt soaring through Regina's system as easily as a knife cuts through butter. But Emma wasn't finished.

"You left after you promised not to. You always leave. What did I do wrong now?"

Regina's heart broke at the sight of the tear making it down Emma's cheek. "Oh, Emma." She quickly moved to her side, sitting next to her on the bed. "You didn't do anything wrong." Before she could stop herself she brushed the tear away. "Never think that, okay? Don't cry."

But the lone tear was only the opening of the dam, and more came. "I always do something wrong. That's why they always send me back, that's why no one ever wants me. That's why my parents left me on the side of a road, even then I managed to do something wrong."

Regina quickly embraced her, knowing all too well what it felt like to think you're always doing something wrong. It was her mother's trademark to make Regina attempt to impress her only to tell her what a horrible job she'd done. The key difference was that it appeared Emma's parents didn't bother keeping her, whereas though Regina's childhood had been as far from a walk in the park as it could get, she had at least known where she came from. She pulled back after a moment when a question burned through her mind, one that had an answer that might have things make a little more sense. "How old are you, Emma?" If there were holes in her memory, they could extend beyond the mere five years she was in the coma.

Emma looked confused by the question. "Sixteen."

Regina made sure to keep her reaction visibly invisible, even though she felt like she'd just had all the wind knocked out of her. The blonde woman thought she was seven years younger than she was, which meant there were a two whole years she couldn't recall before the coma even happened. That certainly answered the question of why she never even asked about Henry's father or freaked out about no longer being pregnant. As far as she knew neither of those events even happened.

"Did I get out?" Emma asked, the worst of the tears over for the moment. "Is that why I'm here? Did I get away?"

Regina allowed her that much. "Yes, you got away. You're in the hospital because of a car accident that happened afterwards."

Emma let that sink in. It wasn't nearly as enough information as she'd like, but it was a hell of a lot more than she knew before. And hey, here's to small miracles. She'd finally gotten out of that hellhole. "So where am I?"

"Storybrooke. Maine."

"Never heard of it."

"It's not entirely on the map."

"So why did you leave?"

Turned out Regina wasn't quite off the hook after all. "I stayed for hours after you fell asleep. Understand that I didn't want to go, but I had to. I had an important job waiting for me."

"Yeah, someone said you're Mayor."

"True, but that's not the job I meant."

Emma wondered what job could possibly be more important than running a town, and then it hit her. "You're a mom."

Regina nodded. "I am."

"And…And I was keeping you from your kid." It was Emma's turn to feel bad. There she was being angry for being left behind when there was a kid Regina had left behind in favor of being with her for a while.

"No, don't look at it that way! Being a mother doesn't change the fact that I wanted to be here, it just means I have other responsibilities that make it impossible to be here as much as I'd like."

"And why would a mayor with a kid want to be around a runaway teenager stupid enough to land in the hospital right after gaining independence?"

Ouch. Hearing Emma talk about herself like that hurt. She didn't know how great a gift she'd given her – companionship in two forms. First Henry, then herself. In that moment Regina decided to drop a bomb as gently as she could, because she couldn't handle the self deprecation. "Well, you're not going to believe me right away, but there are many things wrong with your description there. One being you're not a teenager anymore."

"But –"

"You'll see. Who's the President?"

"Bill Clinton's term is about to end."

"Actually it's long ended. Now it's Bush, the first President Bush's son. And _his_ term is about to end."

"No way."

"Way." Regina grabbed a newspaper from a nearby counter. She checked that it was at least from the previous day, and was surprised to see it was actually for the current day. "Check out the date." She passed the paper to Emma.

"August 1st…_2006?! _ But it's 1999!_"_

"Actually the last thing you remember just happens to be in 1999, so you think it's that time. But it's not. I was 22 in 1999. I just turned 29 last month."

"But…if that's true that means I'm 23! And if I'm 23 that means I can't remember the last seven years of my life! That's a long ass time to not remember."

"I know." Regina took the paper back and returned it to where it had been. "If it makes you feel any better I've known you for almost all of that time. I was 24 when we met, or at least when I met you."

That really threw Emma. How could she ever forget Regina? But then, that was just it, wasn't it? She _hadn't _forgotten her. Everything else, but not her. At least, not her voice. "I was out of it for a really long time, wasn't I? And you kept visiting, that's why I know your voice, isn't it?"

"You're catching on rather quickly." It wasn't sarcasm, there was some genuine awe there. "It's true, you were in a coma for five years."

"Why five? I should think I'm 18, but I think I'm 16."

"Because your mind is protecting itself. You don't want to remember. I don't know if you ever will and I don't want to mess anything up by telling you when you're not ready. You've learned enough for one day. But if you remember, you'll have questions, and a lot of them only I will have the answers to. And I will answer them, but not until you've remembered. So no trying to trick me into telling early. Remember, I'm a politician. I'll know."

"For someone pushing 30, you're pretty damn cool, you know that? Especially for a politician."

Regina smirked. "Well you do seem to think I'm an angel, if I recall correctly."

"Someone who waits for a stranger to wake from a half decade coma would be nothing less." 


	30. Chapter 30

"Mama! Can we see Mommy?"

"Not today, sweetheart." Regina smoothed his hair down and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"Why?" She'd never said no before.

Damn. The child would demand an answer as to why the sky wasn't green, and once she gave one he'd ask why again to make her go in depth. Kids were smart like that, always asking why. But it sure put a strain on the parents.

"Because…" The truth was out of the question, and she had to be careful about a lie because he was good at catching them. "We have to start getting you ready for school, that's why."

Henry huffed. "I don't wanna go to school! Didn't have to before."

"That's because you weren't old enough then, sweetheart. You will be this year so you'll need all kinds of new things."

And that's how Regina found herself on a run for school supplies when she'd planned on going to the hospital. Of course, she couldn't be a hypocrite, tell Henry they wouldn't go only to go herself. She knew he wouldn't understand the truth. If he couldn't quite grasp the concept of a coma, she knew the concept of memory would be far beyond his reach. To tell him the truth, that his mother didn't remember him, would only do unnecessary damage. She'd bring him in when Emma was ready. One couldn't assume she'd be ready to see him the minute she remembered his existence. No, she'd likely have some grieving to do over the partner she'd lost before then. Henry would just have to be as patient as a four year old could be.

So Regina waited until the next day to go back to the hospital. Before going in to see Emma, she snagged Whale for an update on her condition. She was still first priority so they would still know more than she did even with her frequent visits. She learned the physical therapy would start once Emma was fully weaned off the IVs. She was about halfway to that point, with all her liquids being obtained the usual way and being able to keep down what solid food was given to her. Once she proved to handle a serving from each food group at least five times, there would be no more need for providing nutrients through IVs. Dairy and meat were the only two that hadn't been introduced to her yet, while bread, fruit, and vegetables had been handled successfully three times each.

"Someone had a good day," Emma commented when Regina entered the room. "And I will take advantage of your good mood to ask you make them let me watch tv. It's so boring without it."

"Half of what you watched in 1999 won't be on anymore."

"I don't care. There's nothing to do when you're not here, and the food they give me isn't all that good, either. I know it's hospital food and probably more than I'd be getting on my own, but still."

"Well that's because you're a bit of a guinea pig with food at the moment. They're working on weaning you off the IVs. The sooner that happens, the sooner the physical therapy will start, and the sooner you'll be discharged."

"Yeah, great. In the mean time I could actually kill for some television. It may not be Charmed or Buffy, but I can deal."

"Hm, something tells me you wouldn't like the reruns they show anyway."

"You watched those too?"

"Television is a god for the college student. Of course I watched, they were popular. Though they both killed off lovable characters often enough that I had to stop."

"They killed Prue didn't they?"

"I…yes."

"Assholes."

Regina chuckled. "Well then. But yes, I'll tell them to put the television on for you. Whining doesn't flatter you, dear."

"Gets the job done, though." She flashed a smile Regina's way that screamed her love of annoying her. It faded after a moment, however. "When I _am _discharged, I don't have anywhere to go."

"Nonsense. I have many guest rooms, dear."

"Oh! I wouldn't want to impose…"

"You wouldn't be, but there's an inn in town with a bed and breakfast. You could stay there if you prefer, wouldn't cost you a dime."

"Er…So you're providing either way. It's either your room or your money."

"Is that a problem?"

"Most people would just leave me to live on the street."

"Well, do I look like most people to you?"

"No…I guess I'm just not used to having someone around that doesn't see me as a meal ticket."

Poor thing seemed to have a past as equally horrible as Regina's, only she felt as if she were still living in it. "I know what it's like to feel unwanted, but I assure you once you remember those two lost years, you'll feel a bit different."

"I don't get any hints, do I?"

"Consider that one."

"That was cryptic as all hell though."

"Hints aren't the answers, they're what lead you to them."

"Okay, Gandhi. Enough One With The Universe crap."

Regina snorted. "I've never been compared to him before."

"Would you prefer Confucius?"

"Looks like you've regained your sense of humor. That's good."

"So my choices are your place or a motel that you pay for?"

"Yes."

"You're not afraid of people getting the wrong idea?"

"And what would that be?"

"You know, politicians and their mistresses?"

Regina smirked. "Want to know what the only difference between a First Lady and a mistress is?" A pause. "The public status of the relationship."

"So you're really not afraid of a scandal?"

"Honey, I didn't want this job in the first place. Best part of this being a small town? Gossip is everywhere. And what's a scandal? Just another form of gossip. I don't care if people think you're some mail order bride, we know the difference and that's what counts."

"What _do _people think you come here for?" Now Emma was curious.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm your sole emergency contact, dear."

Emma didn't know how to respond to that, so she stated an observation, "You've used two pet names with me now."

"Yes, well, you called me angel first, _dear." _She stressed the term and threw in a wink just because.


	31. Chapter 31

**AN: Because Maine's school start and end dates are all over the place depending on the city, I'm going to be using my school system from all the way on the west side in Washington for specific dates, but I'll be using Maine's age cut off. For example, on or before September 1 is the age where you have to be 5 in order to attend kindergarten over here, but in Maine it's October 15. School may start in August or October in Maine depending on the city or district, but I'll be using September as that's what I'm familiar with. Any breaks that are unfamiliar to you are likely because I'm going by my local school district's calendar.**

Onward to chapter 31!

Henry's first day of school was on a Tuesday. Regina decided to ease him into things with afternoon classes. That way they'd have the morning together and Regina shifted her hours so she would go into work after making sure he got to school. There would be four hours of school for him, then Regina would take her lunch after those four hours to get him home. After her lunch hour was up, she'd go back for two hours and the missing two hours would be done from home. That was the plan, anyway. Regina knew she'd more than likely be at the hospital as opposed to working those two hours, but six out of eight was more than half and it wasn't as if her job truly ended. She wasn't just Mayor during the working hours, there were always calls that came in during her supposed 'off duty' time. Changing of scenery does not slacking off make.

There was a bit of a role reversal on that first day. Regina was supposed to be the one in tears reluctant to let him go, and Henry was supposed to roll his eyes and remind her how big a boy he was.

That's not quite how it went. Henry made her feel like she was sending him into the Jewish concentration camp by the way he clung to her legs and begged her not to make him go. It took the better part of half an hour just to get inside the building, and then he made Regina walk him to class. _Then _he clung to her legs again, not wanting her to leave. The teacher had to physically peel him off of her and hold him back so Regina could leave.

Damn, did he have a pair of lungs on him. He screamed bloody murder the second Regina shut the door behind her, and it was that that finally brought a tear to her eye. After that scream, walking away from that room was the hardest thing Regina had ever had to do. She wasn't _leaving _him for crying out loud, but he sure made her feel that way.

Work was a moot point after that. True, Regina showed up at the office, but her concentration was shot. After an hour of getting absolutely nothing done Regina decided the decided schedule would start tomorrow. She just didn't have it in her that day. An earlier visit to Emma took its place.

"You look like you just saw someone get shot," was Emma's one-liner greeting of the day.

"I feel like I was the one doing the shooting." Regina slid into the chair less than elegantly.

"Is this going to be a day where everything you say is vague and cryptic, or will I actually get to hear an elaboration?" The sarcasm of the words didn't match the tone of Emma's voice. She actually sounded quite interested.

"First day of school."

"And…?"

"Not just any first day of school, the very first."

"Didn't want to let him go?" Emma guessed.

"_He _didn't want to let _me_ go. He screamed when I left. Really screamed. Someone could've been killing him and it wouldn't sound any different."

"Guess that answers the question of why you're not at work."

Regina nodded. "I sat at the desk a whole hour accomplishing nothing before I decided to leave."

"So if this is his very first day of school, he's like five?"

"Four," Regina corrected. "But five next month."

Emma did the math. "Wow. Mom at 24."

"Yeah." It was shaky territory, but Emma still had no clue she'd been pregnant. If she made the connection between when Regina said she met Emma, and her age when Henry was born, she was keeping it to herself.

"I remembered something today," Emma stated nonchalantly.

Regina's head snapped up. "You did?" _Had _she remembered?

Emma nodded. "I don't remember what lead up to it, but I remembered that I tried to steal an already stolen car."

It was so far from what Regina was thinking, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, shows how smart I am, right?"

Regina quickly schooled her features. "I wasn't laughing at you. Just that that's the first thing you remembered."

"Okay…Well, anyway, it had to have been after I got away because I didn't have glasses in any of my foster homes, but I remembered wearing them when I did it. I hot wired a car, only to have some dude pop up from the back and tell me I could've just asked for the keys. Then we got pulled over and I figured out it wasn't his car at all but we squeaked by because he told the cop I was his girlfriend or fiancée or something and he was teaching me how to drive. Can't believe he actually believed that, but I guess it's a good thing he did. Or maybe it's not. You said it was a car accident that put me in the hospital, right? Well, no, that couldn't be it because you said that was when I was 18. I'm pretty sure I was still 16 when this happened."

"Were you?" Regina asked. "His girlfriend or fiancée, I mean." Something told her she was remembering Henry's father. She didn't know why, but her instincts were telling her that all the same.

"I don't think so. I mean, why would I try to steal a car my boyfriend or fiancée had already stolen? I may not have been smart but I don't think I would be _that _dumb, either."

Well, she had her there. "You said you didn't remember what lead up to it; I thought maybe you two were playing a part, partners in crime or whatever. But that wouldn't explain why you would actually try to steal a car you knew was already stolen."

"This isn't something I can get in trouble for, right? I mean it wasn't here and it was years ago. But you're the mayor and –"

"I'm pretty sure you're not a felon, so don't worry, the past will stay in the past."

"What if I did something worse, though, and I just don't remember it?"

"I don't think so. I really don't."

"How much _do _you know that I don't?"

"Enough. And from what you've already told me from what you remember of your childhood, I have a feeling that whatever laws you might have broken were done out of necessity, not just for fun."

"Aren't you supposed to like, I don't know, not care about the reason behind laws being broken just the fact they were?"

"In order to be a politician, you have to go to law school. If I were to have actually had the choice, the only thing I would choose to do in the political arena would be a defense lawyer."

"Then why are you Mayor?"

"My mother wanted it that way. She's a Senator of Maine and I might as well have been bred for politics."

"But…most people only force their dreams onto their kids if they didn't make it themselves. It sounds like she made it."

"The only two things my mother ever cared about were money and power. Having a child in the same career path as you only provides more of those things, especially in politics."

"No, you have to be adopted or something. There is _no way _someone as nice as you could come from an ice queen like her."

"Careful who you say that around. You may be the only one who doesn't see it, but most of this town is afraid of me. I've been labeled as ice queen and worse over the years."

"This town must be filled with idiots then. Anyone who takes a second to talk to you can see there's nothing cold about you. Sure, you may have some walls up, but so does everyone else. The only people who don't are the ones who wear their hearts on their sleeves."


	32. Chapter 32

A couple weeks later and Henry was used to the school routine. He still didn't like it, but at least there were no more blood curdling screams that made Regina want to just turn around and take him back home. Around the same time, Emma was fully weaned off all the IVs. With medical permission, Regina decided to celebrate the progress by giving Emma something that didn't come from the hospital.

"Oh my god, I love you!" Had been Emma's reaction to the Granny's cheeseburger she was gifted with. Regina had a 50/50 chance; Henry's love of the things had to come from somewhere after all. Granted the ones he got were much, much smaller.

"I _know _they feed you here but you sure don't act like it," Regina replied when Emma tore into it in a caveman-like manner.

"Everythimmgk they guve me is laike –"

Regina shook her head, signaling that she could hardly understand a word when Emma talked with her mouth full.

When Emma had swallowed she started again, "Everything they give me is like…all divided up in sections and you can tell what food group everything belongs to. It was like when I was taken in by this super religious woman who didn't believe in mixing foods and would snap at me when I let the peas touch the mashed potatoes." Emma rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. "This is like…this is like being granted with the sight of a White Castle after being stranded in the desert for months. So thank you, really. You're amazing and I love you for this." She attacked the burger once more.

Regina chuckled. "You get most of the credit, you know. I'm told your body only rejected something they gave you once, and that was because it turned out you were allergic. Other than that you've been passing through everything with flying colors. You no longer need to depend on machines for nutrients, and you're on your way to starting physical therapy. This is just a reward for all the progress you've made."

"An absolutely fantastic reward! I never even told anyone I liked cheeseburgers." Realizing what she just said she tilted her head. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," Regina easily evaded the question. "You don't spend this much time with someone and not be able to read between the lines a bit."

"99.9% of that time I was out of it. I haven't even been awake two whole months yet."

"Doesn't matter. And look at all the progress you've made in not even two months. It would take some people years just to blink on command. Squeeze someone's hand. You were able to do those things the very day you woke. So it doesn't matter that you were out of it all that time, you figured out someone was waiting for you to wake up."

"Okay, but why? Where did you even come from? You've said yourself you hadn't met me before the coma. You don't work at a hospital; our paths may never even have crossed without this coma. So where did you come from?"

"That's one of those questions I can't answer until you start remembering more."

"That guy…stolen car guy. You're not his sister or something, are you?"

If Regina wasn't so confused she might have laughed. "No, as far as I'm aware I'm an only child."

"This is going to bug me until I figure it out, you know. My brain's going to keep trying to place you. Why don't you just let me take the shortcut and tell me?"

"Is placing me really that important?"

"It is, I don't know why, but it is. No one's ever cared about me, ever. Then suddenly I'm missing seven years and there's this angelic, goddess-like even, woman around who treats me like I'm the most valuable thing on the planet. Someone who I can't remember outside of a voice in my head, telling me fantastical stories about fairytale kingdoms and true love. And I can't help but think of all of those movies about amnesia patients, you know? People who can't remember their spouses, their parents, their children! I mean, I've gone so far as to think you may have been my birth mother, but then I remember there's only six years between us, even though it feels like more. Then I think, well, I'm missing two years, we could've met when I was 18 and you were 24 and ran off to California and gotten married. But then there's that detail of you never knowing me before the coma. So then I think I could be someone else's wife and not even know it. Someone's mother. God, there could be a kid out there shoved into the same life I was because some lame ass coma decided to kidnap me for a five year coma. Or maybe there's not. And I just, I hate not knowing! And you know and you won't tell me. You won't tell me any of it."

Regina just stood there, rivers streaming along her face because Emma hit the nail right on the head so many times. Suddenly waiting out the return of Emma's memories seemed cruel and unusual punishment. She never thought what it might be like to see someone all the time you knew for a fact was keeping secrets from you. Secrets you desperately wanted to know. "I can tell you," she finally stated. "But you won't believe any of it. Or worse, it will trigger your memory and remembering everything all at once will crush you."

_"Please, _tell me. I don't care what I think. I don't care about the consequences. I just need to know, even if it doesn't make sense."

Damn it. If it were anyone else begging her anything, Regina would just brush it aside. But this was Emma, Henry's other mother. One who Henry wanted to see very much but couldn't because Regina didn't want to scare her with the truth. Now it was turning out hiding the truth was just as dangerous.

"Okay." Regina moved to sit next to Emma on the bed. "Okay."


	33. Chapter 33

"I was 23 when I decided to adopt a child. I got a lot of shortcuts what with being a mayor and having a senator for a mother, so I was able to take the child home in under half a year. The longest part was simply deciding which one I wanted. There were all kinds of ages and backgrounds to choose from, and it was really hard to pick I kinda just wanted to take them all. But none really jumped out at me until I saw a picture of a newborn with a story the adoption agency didn't jump to tell. Right away my curiosity was peaked; I'd heard some terrible things already, what would be so bad they weren't even really telling people about him? Turns out he was a popular selection, but once certain details came up, they no longer wanted him. Because his case was unique. His parents hadn't willingly put him up for adoption, nor did a court rule to keep them apart. He was only in the system due to unfortunate circumstance. He couldn't be fully adopted because of this, the most that could be granted at the time was shared custody. Most people didn't like that, but it didn't bother me any."

"This is the boy who just started kindergarten?" The math was about right.

"Yes. The father had died before birth, and the mother…well, she wasn't physically capable of taking care of him at the time." She met Emma's eyes. "She was in a car accident about halfway through the pregnancy. She was instantly in a coma."

Emma's mouth fell open. "You…You're…That's me, isn't it?"

"That's you." Regina had to look away then. The cat was out of the bag.

Emma reached out and turned Regina's head back to face her. "Hey, look at me. You did a wonderful, wonderful thing. You saved a child, _my _child, from the fate I had of being bounced around the system." Tears fell from her eyes as she embraced the other woman. "Thank you. Thank you…_so_…much!" Her head buried itself in Regina's shoulder, her arms tightening around her.

Her memory came back in flashes, backwards. She remembered the cause of the crash. The guy, the stolen car guy, had just proposed and accidentally dropped the ring. He'd let one hand off of the wheel to feel for it, just before a loud crash that must have been from the moment of impact. Through blurry vision before the next flash, Emma could make out her own hand resting on her swollen belly.

The next flash was when she found out she was pregnant, and the same man was there. He picked her up and they jumped up and down together. They kissed. They were so happy and excited. So in love. Nothing else had mattered.

She remembered their life of petty crime, stealing whatever they needed to get by, but making up for it by replacing it when they could. She remembered when they each tried to get jobs, even landed interviews, but resorted back to stealing when they were always turned away. And they always were.

She remembered them bearing their hearts to each other. How she never knew her parents and no one had ever wanted her enough to adopt her. How his mother died when he was young and he was so estranged from his father he no longer knew if he was even alive. Their first time, her first time, had followed shortly after that.

The stolen car memory came back once again.

And then she remembered what had led up to that point. Her first time had only been her heart's first time, not her body's. The final push that drove her away from her latest foster home. One man had succeeded where others before him had tried. He was too strong for her to fight and had violated her.

Finally the memories stopped, and she knew everything. She choked on her tears when Regina's earlier words caught up to her. "Neal…" He was dead. He died because he was too caught up in the moment proposing to her to pay attention to the road. It was her fault. Their son was old enough to be in kindergarten, started just a few weeks ago, and she didn't know him. She didn't remember giving birth to him. That was her fault, too. All of it. All of it was her fault.

"I'm sorry," Regina murmured. She rubbed circles along her back. "I'm sorry." It was all she could say because it was all she could feel. Sorry that it had happened, sorry that she was the one that had to remind her of it, sorry that she wasn't strong enough to just tell her no.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours. Both managing to stay squeezed onto the hospital bed, Emma mourning all that she'd lost and Regina doing what little she could to comfort her and make it all better. She knew, however, nothing would be a big enough salve. Regina too had lost someone she loved very much, and time with her child that could never be gained back. The wounds would never truly fade, scar perhaps, but never fade. Emma's scenario was completely different, but Regina recognized the pain all the same.

"I don't regret you telling me."

Of all possible statements that could have followed, that one baffled Regina the most. "How? I just flipped your life upside down."

"It was already flipped upside down about five years ago. All you telling me did was help me fill in the blanks sooner. Which you did try to warn me about. It's not your fault I didn't listen."

"I'd hate me right now if I were you."

"I don't. Despite knowing you couldn't have full custody, you took my child in anyway. You've kept him longer than any of my foster families kept me."

"He knows who you are," Regina admitted. "I brought him in all the time to see you."

"See, how on earth could I hate someone who does that?" Finally, finally a thought registered. "The only thing that could make me hate you is if you withheld him from me now. I want to meet him."

Regina nodded. "Okay. We can do that. He misses you."

Emma hugged her again. "Thank you, Regina. I mean it."


	34. Chapter 34

Regina told the hospital to stall the physical therapy for a day. They listened, wisely so. Now she walked through the hospital halls like she owned the place, and considering she owned the town, she actually did. Henry walked beside her with an adorable attempt to imitate her stride, a bit clumsy with his insistence on holding her hand.

"Remember what I told you?"

Henry nodded enthusiastically. "Gotta be careful."

"That's right. Remember why?"

"Mommy's awake but not all better yet."

"Good boy." Regina shifted the two most important projects she'd ever worked on in her free arm. The photo album and the book of milestones. It would be easier to let go of Henry's hand to open the door, but only in theory. Henry refused to let go so she managed to open the door with the same hand she was holding the books in. It was tricky, but if a waitress could manage to carry four plates on one arm, Regina could manage to carry something and open a door with the same hand.

Emma was already sitting up waiting for them.

Regina smiled, allowing Henry to trail in behind her before nudging the door shut with her foot. "This would be Henry."

Henry waved with his free hand. "Hi Mommy."

"Oh my goodness…" Emma had to blink a few times to clear her vision. Yup, definitely her kid. Definitely Neal's kid. She saw both of them in him instantaneously. "Look at you." She reached out with both arms, needing to touch him.

Henry looked up at his brunette mother in silent askance, who nodded her approval. The small boy darted from one mother to the next, hopping up on the hospital bed as carefully as he could.

Emma took his face in her hands, looking him over from every angle. "You're beautiful." She hugged him tightly, though doing her best to not do any actual damage. To either one of them. She peppered kisses all over the top of his head, resulting in childish cackling. It was a foreign sound only because Emma had never heard it come from herself. That one magical sound kicked away any fear she may have had about his happiness.

It was a touching scene to watch. Henry was acting no different with Emma than he did with Regina and that was what told Regina she was doing it right. Parents may not play favorites, but it wasn't uncommon for a child to feel closer to one over the other. It seemed Henry loved each equally, and that was a truly beautiful thing.

"I made these for you, over the years. Everything you've missed is here in writing and pictures. There are also videos, but those will have to wait until you're out of here." Regina freed her arms, unloading the books onto the nearby counter.

Emma's eyes flicked to the books, to Regina, and back again. "Everything?" There was no keeping the awe from her voice.

"Everything. Of course I didn't have a surveillance camera aimed at him at all times, but I came pretty close. All the pictures have dates and some even have times. I didn't put the pictures back to back so they would be easier to read. The left side is all descriptions and the right side is all pictures."

Henry nodded. "She takes lots and lots. More than picture books."

Emma laughed.

"You think he's exaggerating. He's not."

"Well, I'll just have to see for myself then. Once I get over how cute you are." She booped Henry's nose with a finger while her other hand commenced tickle torture.

Regina chuckled. "You'll be waiting years for that to happen," she commented once Henry's laughter died down. "I'm not quite over it myself."

"Mama!" Henry groaned, hiding his face in Emma's shoulder.

"What, I can't call you cute anymore?" Regina asked.

"You never _stop!" _His tone was such a perfect mimic of one Regina had when she was exasperated, the two women couldn't help but laugh.

"Maybe if you make a birthday wish for her to stop, it'll come true," Emma suggested. Of course, the year was getting closer and closer to its end. His birthday may have already passed.

Henry gained a contemplative expression and then shook his head. "No, I think it's against the rules to get two in one year. I got mine early so I'm good."

"Oh? What did you wish for?" Emma knew it couldn't have been for a better year like her's had always been.

Henry grinned. "You awake."

Regina nearly staggered with the impact the simple answer caused. It made sense now. All the times he was so secretive about what his wish was, all the times he'd told her he couldn't tell because he really wanted it to come true, and it turned out to be something that meant way more than all the superficial things most toddlers wished for.

"Oh, kid…" Emma held him close to her once again. She almost couldn't handle it. A normal person in her situation might have saw his father in him in that moment, but all she could think was that Regina had rubbed off on him in the best of ways. She met the eyes of the aforementioned woman. "You raised him well."

"Oh, I had nothing to do with that. That's all him." For the first time in years, Regina Mills found herself blushing. "Really," she added at Emma's unbelieving look.

"No, you get a bit of credit, too. He knows me because of you. It might have been easier for you to pretend I didn't exist, to let him never know, but you didn't and he does and it's because of you."

Henry pulled himself back. "If you're going to make cooties I'm outta here."

Emma laughed at the same time Regina's cheeks reddened even more. 'Make cooties' was what Henry called kissing. Apparently Regina's attempt to convince him it was only something that happened in movies failed.

"What does that mean?" Emma asked, looking right at Regina as her laughter died down.

"Don't make me answer that."

"Ooooooh! It must be good, you're blushing."

Regina spun around. "No I'm not."

"You so are!"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"Henry, what does make cooties mean?" If Emma wasn't going to get an answer from Regina, she may as well try to get it from the source.

Oh hell. The only thing worse than pulling it out of Regina was getting it from Henry. Regina turned back around, knowing there was no chance in fighting it anymore.

"I think old people call it hissing."

"Hissing? Like a snake? Or – Oh! _Hissing." _Emma threw in a wink at the clearly embarrassed Regina. "I get what you mean, bud." She clapped a hand to Henry's shoulder. "I get what you mean."

Call Regina crazy, but she could swear Emma was flirting with her. In front of their shared child, no less. That was not quite how it went in her head when she envisioned their day.


	35. Chapter 35

Regina hadn't realized how much time had passed until Henry fell asleep half on top of Emma. "I think that's my cue to leave." She checked the clock. "It's past someone's bedtime."

Emma looked at the clock, too. "It's only seven."

"He's four."

"Point taken." She ruffled his hair and it did nothing to stir the boy. "When's his birthday?"

"October 9th."

"Will I get to see him?"

"You can see him as often as you'd like, granted he's not in school. You don't have to ask."

"I haven't really been around…"

"Hey, that's not your fault. And believe it or not, he's always gotten to see you on his birthday." Regina gently took the sleeping Henry into her arms.

"Can you come back?" Emma asked, a hand curling around one of Regina's wrists to keep her in place. "I want you here when I look at those and I know I start my physical therapy tomorrow." She nodded to the counter where the books sat that she'd yet to touch.

Regina couldn't help but smile. "Of course." Mary wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Henry for a few hours.

"Thank you. For everything." Emma let go of her wrist. "I don't know how to possibly thank you properly."

"You've done quite a bit for me too, Emma. Let's just call it even."

Regina was only gone for about twenty minutes, and that was mostly because she wanted to make sure Mary was inside the house before she left.

"That was quicker than I expected."

"He was out like a light. I just needed to make sure I wasn't leaving him alone in the house."

"Where were people like you when I needed parents? Seriously, I got the short end of the stick. But between Henry and I, I'm really glad he's the one that gets to have a good home."

"It's not too late for you, you know." Regina grabbed the books from where she'd left them and slid next to Emma on the bed. "You can have that. I trust you remember your post discharge options?"

"Was that a really cryptic reminder of the fact you have many guest rooms?"

"It may have been. Don't you think it would be nice for Henry to have his parents under the same roof? Well, two out of three, but that can't be helped."

"I feel like I should miss Neal more than I do." Emma wasn't ignoring the question, she really wasn't, Regina had just reminded her of something.

"People deal with loss differently. That five stages thing doesn't apply to some people. Some can jump straight from denial to acceptance, and a few just accept it right away and move on. I can't speak for you, but loss can't be measured. There is no too much or too little."

"Speaking from experience? You don't have to answer that."

"Yes. I lost my father, two fiancés, and a daughter."

Emma's eyes went wide. "You're so together…I never would have known."

"Proving my point exactly. Loss can't be measured. But I believe we're moving off focus." Regina passed the book of milestones over to Emma first. Some of the pictures did go hand in hand with them, after all.

Emma took the hint, filing the current topic away for later. "You really did mean everything…" It started with the day of his birth, and even if there had been nothing of note he did, his age was still marked.

"I didn't want him to be a stranger to you. Even when no one thought you were going to wake up, I at least wanted to make the effort. Even if there was no real proof that Henry wasn't the result of a drunken mistake, when it was unsure you would claim responsibility at all, I wanted you to be fully informed of the choice you were making. You may have not chosen to spare the writing or pictures a glance, but at least their existence meant the option was there. Best case scenario we'd get to share and you wouldn't feel like you missed a significant portion of his life."

Well, Emma knew one thing. If Regina kept it up, there might be some making cooties going on and it would entirely be the brunette's fault. "Can I keep you?" Well that wasn't meant to be said. It would be interesting to see how Regina sidestepped around that one.

Regina chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere."

Emma wondered if Regina actually knew how open to interpretation that was, and if she did, was she doing it on purpose. Getting back at her for the all in good fun teasing, perhaps. Two could play at that game, but then Emma was distracted by the first entry that said it was accompanied by a picture. "There's a picture that goes with Thanksgiving, 2001?"

"Mmhmm." Regina opened the album and laid it where they could both see.

Emma couldn't contain her squeal. "He's so tiny! And you…oh my god, I'm there too. I – you – ugh!" Emma brushed the tear that escaped away. "I wish I could remember that."

"Tongue-tied, dear?"

"YES!" Emma shook her head at her outburst. "I'm looking right at the proof you really did include me all along."

"Did you have doubts?"

"Not towards you personally, but with my past it's hard not to."

"I understand."

"You really do, huh? Most people say it and it's a lie, but you make it real. I've always had this, well I call it a lie detector but if that's what it is it doesn't always work. I guess it's what some would call reading someone. I can just feel the intent behind someone's words. Someone could call me pretty and I could always tell whether it was just some sleezeball trying to get into my pants, or if it was a genuine compliment. Social workers told me they understood all the time, but I know they never did. Most of them had families of their own to go home to; if I was lucky I got to go home to a rapist." Well crucify her that moment if it would be a lie that she hadn't meant to let that one slip.

"I understand that, too."

The sheer truth of that statement was staggering. Emma would have never thought they would have such a terrible, terrible thing in common. "And you never told." She knew that to be the truth as well.

"Neither had you."

"We keep getting off track."

"That seems to be the theme of the day, yes."

They seemed to be inching closer and closer so Emma finally decided to do something about it. "Would it be very inappropriate of me to kiss you right now."

"Very." The distance shrunk by a millimeter.

"Do you care?" A couple millimeters more.

"No."

Emma's lips were practically dancing over Regina's as she asked, "Will you stop me?"

The meeting of their lips was answer enough.


	36. Chapter 36

"Regina?"

"Hm."

"Regina."

"What?"

"We fell asleep." Emma nudged Regina's shoulder with her own. "It's two in the morning."

That woke Regina up. She blinked at the clock through sleep blurred eyes. Damn, Emma was right.

"You should get back to Henry, and I should get back to sleep. Physical training starts in a few hours."

Regina rolled her neck, and the gentle movement resulted in the loudest crack. Emma grimaced at the sound. No wonder, however long they'd slept Regina had been using the wall as a pillow. The two books remained where they had been before, both opened to seemingly random places, one on each woman's lap.

"Do you want me to leave these here?" Regina gestured to the books. "Or should I bring them back later?"

"They can stay here." She watched as Regina started closing them. "I think they must have slipped me something pretty strong to deal with the pain of the physical therapy."

Regina laughed. "Oh, you weren't hallucinating."

"You don't even know what I was talking abo –" Or she did, because it was happening again. Just when Emma thought to move her hands so she could hold Regina in place, the latter broke contact.

"Care to guess again?"

"Okay." Emma smiled. "You did," she amended. That first one could easily be labeled as the result of the heat of the moment, but twice made a pattern. Only thing to do was figure out what it meant. "That…we're not going to ignore this, right? Obviously this is not an hour for talking, but…"

"Ssh." Regina pressed a finger to Emma's lips. "Get some rest. I'll come see how you're doing later."

"That wasn't an answer."

Regina pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before moving her lips to her ear and asking an innocent question, "How could I ignore you?" She slid off the bed and placed the books on the counter once more on her way out.

It appeared Mary had invited David over at some point, for Regina found them curled together on the couch. At least they were fully clothed. Regina merely shrugged at the sight and draped a blanket over them. Sleep should be enough to adequately make up for the extra time, especially since that's what held Regina up in the first place.

Regina stopped by Henry's room, and he must have heard her come in because he was half awake. "S'it morning already?"

She smiled at the drowsy child. "Too early for you to worry about it." She re-tucked him in, smoothing his sleep mussed hair back down. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart." She kissed his forehead and ran a hand gently along his cheek.

Henry snuggled back into the covers. "Mmph, did Mommy really wake up?"

Like mother, like son. Where Emma had thought she was hallucinating, Henry thought he was dreaming. "She really did."

"I fell asleep…then I was here." Henry looked extra confused in his barely awake state.

"Mama took you home, that's why. If you don't believe me, we'll see her again real soon, okay?"

"Mmkay." Henry wore a sleepy grin.

"Goodnight, Henry." Regina straightened up and turned to leave.

"Mama!"

Regina turned back.

"I love you."

Those three little words were enough to melt anyone. Regina smiled warmly at him. "I love you, too. Sleep now." She was careful to be quiet as she closed the door and made it to her own room. She didn't bother changing before sliding into bed; she just kicked off her shoes.

Henry was giddy with an idea that came to him later in the morning. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before, and stumbled in his haste to get to his mother's room several times. She was still sleeping, but he paid it no matter. He hopped up onto the bed and started bouncing. "Mama. Mama. Mama!" Wherever his little hands fell, he shook her. Shoulder, waist, chest, legs, they were all the same to him. "Maaaaamaaaaa!"

Regina groaned, rolling onto her back. "Henry…"

"Uuuuuup! Up up up up!" He nearly poked her in the eye in his excitement.

"Hey, watch it!" Regina sat up quickly before any accidents could happen. She put her hands on the bouncing boy's shoulders until he stilled. "What are you so hyper about?" She knew Mary knew better than to give him large amounts of candy.

"I have an idea!"

Regina chuckled, reminding herself that Henry was only four. Anyone else would likely be smacked for waking her in such a way for such a trivial reason. But this was Henry, and he was too damned adorable when he did it. "What's that, Henry?"

"Show her the movie!"

Regina's eyebrows furrowed together. He was going to have to be a bit more detailed than that. "Show who what movie?"

Henry actually rolled his eyes at her. It was all Regina could do not to laugh. She could easily put Emma's 'duh!' to his expression. "You know! Mommy! Maybe if you show her it she'll be better faster."

Maybe Regina wasn't getting it because it still felt like it was stupid o'clock in the morning. "The movie being…?"

"The funny one! The one about someone who has your name."

"…Mean Girls?"

"Yeah! We watched it when I was sick and then I was all better."

Regina was sure if she glanced at her expression in a mirror she would be very cartoonish. That had been _once. _And it had only been because she thought he was young enough for him not to catch onto anything. But if he'd made the name connection, there were probably a lot of other things he'd caught onto as well.

"I think it's magic. Like those other stories are magic."

Well that settled it then, Regina had no choice. Saying no was no longer an option. Even if she didn't own a copy of the DVD, she'd have to find it in her budget to purchase one. But she did have one lying around. And by lying around it was meant that it was among the rest of her stash of romantic comedies.

Still, Regina didn't want him to be disappointed when it didn't make Emma instantly better. "Okay, we can try. But you know how magic works, right? Sometimes it only happens once. Or maybe it only works for little boys."

Henry looked contemplative a moment, then nodded firmly. "Try."

Regina nodded. "Okay." She looked at the clock. Six in the morning. "While you're at school. In the meantime, let's go back to sleep. Go see if Mary's still downstairs. If she is, tell her to wake us at nine."

Henry pressed a sloppy kiss to her cheek. "Mmkay." He dashed off as soon as his feet hit the floor.

"Be careful!" Regina flopped back down onto the bed, ready for three more hours of sleep.


	37. Chapter 37

"…I just don't get how simply standing can hurt that much! What if it doesn't stop? I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair!" Emma concluded her at least five minute long rant about her first physical therapy session.

"Sounds like you need to relax. And I've brought something that should help pick your mood up."

"Henry?"

"No, he's at school. But he was the one who made me bring this." Regina revealed the copy of Mean Girls.

Emma's eyes bulged when she caught Lindsay Lohan's name. "Holy shit, is that the same Lindsay Lohan I'm thinking of? Parent Trap girl?"

"Yeah."

"Damn, she…"

"Got attractive? I doubt that'll last. She fell into drugs just like everyone else."

"Ugh. I've seen more than enough before and after pictures. Don't think they actually make anyone stop, though." Emma turned the case over to look at the back. "Technology's changed a bit since 1999, huh?"

"Oh yeah. Quite. For example, no more rewinding. It's hard to explain, but you'll see." Regina took the DVD case back from Emma and took the movie out. She wasn't entirely sure what Emma was staring at as she set the movie up on the hospital television, her backside or the disc.

Regina started to move to the chair, not wanting to accidentally cause Emma pain by jostling her legs now she knew they at least had feeling in them, but the blonde patted the spot on the bed beside her quite insistently. So Regina claimed what was starting to become her side of the bed.

As the movie started with Lindsay Lohan's character complaining about her parents being emotional on her first day of attending public school, Emma snorted. "I don't think people do that, do people do that?"

Regina shrugged. "I wouldn't know." No one had accompanied her to school on her first day. She just took the bus like everyone else.

Emma nestled her head against Regina's shoulder. She let it rest there when it wasn't shrugged off. She snorted again at the part where rifles were apparently created so man could fight dinosaurs and homosexuals. "I don't know whether to laugh that they think a gun could stand a chance against a dinosaur, or be offended our kind was compared to ancient lizards."

Regina rose an eyebrow. "Our kind?"

"We kissed, we liked it, we're definitely not straight."

Both giggled when Tina Fey's character accidentally flashed an entire class of high school students.

"Oh God, that's so me," Emma groaned lightly.

"Is that right?"

"Shut up."

Each collectively rolled their eyes when the teacher assumed the new student from Africa was black.

"Yeah, everyone of color is totally isolated in one continent. Totally," Emma was thick on the sarcasm.

Enter Damien. "Oh, he's so gay!"

_"This is Damien. He's almost too gay to function."_

"Called it!"

Regina chuckled. She had a feeling Emma's reactions were going to be more amusing than the movie itself.

Emma nodded approvingly at the dark haired girl who threw an insult straight back at an asshole trying to provoke her without even a blink. "I think she's my spirit animal," she whispered.

Regina smiled. She'd always rather liked Janice as well.

"Gretchen Wei – Seriously? Seriously. Who wrote this?"

"Tina Fey."

"That explains it."

Emma just about died when they got to Regina George. She was laughing incredibly hard at hearing the words 'evil' and 'Regina' right next to each other, or close enough. It was so very different from her Regina. "Mm, I like my Regina better."

Regina wondered if Emma realized what she'd just said, or if she'd completely shut off her filter and was just saying what came to mind before thinking about it. Either way, Regina was liking the way it was going. And they hadn't really even talked about it yet.

"How well do you know this movie?" Emma murmured against Regina's neck while onscreen Cady was busy meeting 'The Plastics' for the first time.

"Pretty well…" Damn, those lips against her neck were distracting. Incredibly so. Regina had to wonder how fast things would be going if Emma weren't hospitalized. A voice in her head told her if she were awake when they'd met, they'd be a solid item by this point. It was hard to ignore.

"Because I think it would be very…entertaining…to hear these lines from your lips." Emma had wanted to say sexy instead of entertaining, but she wasn't about to push Regina too far. She found she wanted whatever she could get, and she wouldn't be greedy.

"Oh? In what setting?" She had a feeling she knew what she was getting at.

"One outside this hospital." Emma kept it vague enough that she wouldn't get in trouble for her answer.

_"On Wednesdays we wear pink!"_

Emma smirked. "We should watch this again on a Wednesday. And wear pink."

"Oh Lord, what has Henry gotten me into?"

"I bet you own pink."

"Maybe…"

"Wear it sometime."

"I feel like I'm being manipulated somehow."

Emma chuckled. "No is an option."

"But you'd like it."

"Yes."

"So it's not an option."

"You're really distracting, you know."

"I can say the same!" Regina smirked. "It feels like your lips are glued to my skin."

"Oh, I can arrange that." Emma pressed a firm kiss to the curve of Regina's neck.

Regina hummed contentedly. "I thought we were going to talk."

"Actions speak louder than words."

"Mm, I'll make it short then. We like each other."

"Clearly." Emma kissed higher up.

"Same page, then."

"Same book, same page, same line, same word." Each listed was punctuated with a kiss higher up until Emma was at Regina's lips again.

Regina's eyes and heart fluttered at the same time and they melded together, wasting no more time.

They weren't so naïve as to believe they could venture further than first base just yet, but first base covered a lot of ground. They had plenty to acquaint themselves with and the movie was left forgotten.

Each believed themselves incredibly lucky. For Emma, she was finally getting her better year, although it had cost her five to get there. The more time spent in Regina's presence, the more time she felt she'd endure it all again if it were to yield the same result. For Regina, she was definitely seeing the silver lining. She was coming to realize bad things happened to make sure the good things were truly appreciated.


	38. Chapter 38

September gave way to October, and though Regina knew she should be growing excited about being with Henry and Emma for his fifth birthday, an occurrence at work made sure she was only irritated beyond belief.

The secretary she'd had for years just up and quit. Just like that. No two week's notice, no anything. It was like she never existed. One would think if she'd remained in the city someone would have seen her somewhere, but no one had. No one would lie, either, because most were afraid of Regina on a normal day, on even a slightly bad day they were terrified. If someone had seen her, she would know.

The only thing that told Regina the woman wasn't missing was that she wasn't reported as such. Then again, no one seemed to go missing in Storybrooke. It was all lost dogs and cats, most of which were found by the Sheriff's Department in a timely manner.

So instead of trying to dream up the perfect birthday present, Regina spent her time trying to line up interviews for the position. But, as she was already aware, people were too afraid of her to commit to a position that would put them in such close quarters. She went so far as to ask Mary, but was told the younger brunette was leaning less and less towards any association with politics the older she got. Of all the times for Regina to inadvertently knock sense into the girl, it had to be a time where she could actually use her help.

Regina shuddered at the thought of having to organize her own appointments. She'd never know if picking up the phone would actually be worth her while. It would be a lot of time wasted. It would cut time with Henry and Emma severely, and she'd finally gotten a schedule she liked, damn it. Now it would be college all over again. Coffee at all hours, cramps, and headaches would soon be a part of her life again if she couldn't fill the spot.

She wished people's fear of her would extend past avoidance and into submission. Her life would be so very much easier. But no. The Fates were determined to make her go gray before she hit 40.

The phone rang and Regina rolled her eyes. The torture was already starting. "Mayor Mills."

"Aww, that was sexy as hell but I can tell you're exhausted."

A small smile crossed Regina's features at Emma's voice. There was some mercy still being shown to her, after all. "Have phone privileges now, do we?"

"Well, they can't exactly say no when you're my emergency contact. But that's beside the point. What's up?"

"Secretary quit and I'm a chicken with my head cut off. I'm having trouble filling the position and I can't even let her know how very little it's appreciated because no one seems to know where she is. People know better than to lie to me, and most are too frightened to come near me of their own free will."

"But you're adorable."

"They only get to see the politician, dear. And the politician scares them."

"But not enough to jump when you say so?"

"Apparently not."

"You need to escape."

"I can't leave without a secretary. I'd love to, but someone has to man the office before closing hours."

"Lock up early?"

"If I abandon my responsibilities too often I'll be disbanded."

"You didn't want the job anyway."

"My mother would kill me. Probably literally."

"What's her problem? Seriously."

"She's a robot."

Emma laughed. "Well, at least you're joking. That has to be a good sign."

"No, I think I'm quite serious. Something must have taken her humanity out and replaced it with something else. Like the Cybermen in Doctor Who."

"You just keep getting better and better. You watched Doctor Who?"

"Oh yes, and it's come back, too."

"Are you trying to distract me?"

"Myself, more like."

"Really, though. She has way more political influence as a senator."

"Yes, but there's a term limit and hers is nearing its conclusion. Mayoral positions are potentially indefinite. Mine seems to be. No one challenges me. I'm pretty sure the mayor before me died, and Mother was quick to shove me into their place. As long as the position remains mine, she'll always have her hands in the political arena. And though she may be blissfully absent for the moment, her hands will never be out of my life."

"This is messed up. You're a grown woman."

"And she's a monster. Are we quite finished?"

"I'm sorry. I thought maybe if you got to vent it would help, but apparently it had the opposite affect."

"I was frustrated to start with when you called. Your intentions were good, Emma. Don't apologize."

"I wish I could help."

"I know."

"The whole secretary thing is going to seriously cut into our time together, isn't it?"

"That seems to be inevitable. I'll still make my way there whenever I'm able. We'll definitely spend Henry's birthday together. I won't have Henry upset on his special day due to a speed bump."

"Would it help to keep you on the line until you can leave?"

"Perhaps. Though it seems like I may have to call the school to have him ride the school bus home. I'd rather not, I know how evil other children can be, but my hands are tied."

"At least I'll be able to help once I'm out of here, in theory."

"Yes, that will be nice. In theory."

"Walking is getting easier. I've heard that I should be out no later than Christmas, but I've made Thanksgiving my goal."

"Thanksgiving would be perfect."

"Is it weird that it kinda feels like Valentine's Day to me? I mean, with that picture that kinda jumpstarted it all…"

"No, it makes sense. It's one of the only good holidays left for me, and if we get you home by then that will make it even better."

"Home. That's still an odd concept to me."

"Well hopefully that will change." Regina looked to the clock. "I really should be calling the school now."

"Alright. So how do we, you know…"

"Say goodbye? We don't."

"Works for me."

The lines clicked off simultaneously.


	39. Chapter 39

"Henry will not be attending class today, I hope that's not a problem?"

"I'm sure it's a good reason, Madame Mayor."

"Exactly. I'll write a note if I must…"

"No need, you're a busy woman. A call is enough."

"Thank you." Click.

Regina wasn't planning on pulling Henry out of school for his birthday, she wouldn't want skipping to become a habit for him, even if it was just once a year. The nightmare she'd had, though, well it made the sudden change of her mind understandable. Anyone else would do the same. It was like a Final Destination movie, starring the people she cared about.

She shook any evidence of being spooked from her face before she went to rouse Henry. She sat on the bed and tickled him until he woke, as his laughter was certainly something that needed to be heard.

Between squeals and fits of laughter, he managed a high, "Time is it?"

Regina leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Time to see Mommy."

Henry looked up at her with eyes so like his blonde mother's, though brown instead of hazel, and a confused expression. "But…school?"

Regina shook her head. "Not today."

"You said no before."

"I changed my mind. I can always call –"

"No no no no no no no no! Seeing Mommy is good." He nodded enthusiastically as if to further prove the statement true.

Regina chuckled, though a child of Henry's age would be unable to trace the darkness. "I'll say." After that damned nightmare, seeing her all in one piece would be the only thing that would enable her to truly put it from her mind. "Get dressed." She patted Henry's leg. "I'll make breakfast and then we'll walk."

"Walk?" Henry whined.

"Henry," Regina chastised. "Do you know how much Mommy would love to walk with us?"

Henry quickly realized his fault, his expression growing somber. "Sorry."

Regina rose from the bed. "Time's a wastin'." She left the room to start on breakfast.

No more than a half hour later, the two walked along to the hospital, big box with shiny red wrapping paper tucked under Regina's arm. She'd found a way to thwart accurate gift guessing by wrapping everything individually, putting them into a single cardboard box, and then wrapping that as well. It would keep Henry guessing what that one gift could possibly be, only to be surprised with many gifts inside the box. Of course, after the first layer was discarded it would be easier to guess by feel, but the surprise of multiple presents would likely overwhelm any leftover urges to guess what they were.

Up until her father's death, Regina had received presents on multiple occasions, and even as a young girl she'd perfected the art of guessing what was inside before the wrapping came off. It came in handy, knowing it well enough to figure out how to prevent it. If he guessed what was inside before opening the first box, that would impress Regina. Even she couldn't remember all of what she'd put in there.

They found Emma using a food tray as a table, and it appeared she was working on something. Her head snapped up when she heard the door open. "You guys are way early! I was hoping to finish this card before you got here."

"Mama said I don't have to go to school," Henry explained.

"I can see that." She tried to get a read from Regina as to what the reasoning was, but pushed it aside after a moment. She was getting more time with her kid and Regina, she wouldn't complain.

It was a simple gesture, but Regina was touched Emma was going through the trouble to give Henry something that was within her limited abilities. "It's from you, he won't care that it's unfinished."

Henry nodded and bounded over to Emma, stretching up onto his tiptoes to wrap his arms around her neck. When he was back solidly on his feet he asked, "Read it to me, Mommy?"

Emma smiled. "Actually, let's have Mama read it."

Henry shrugged. It was all the same to him.

Regina took the unfinished card now handed to her, a bit curious as to why Emma was having her read it. Instead of asking, she looked it over. The front had a misshapen heart, but she knew it wasn't due to lack of effort. The fact that she could draw and write enough for a card amazed her, as no one informed her she was starting to relearn penmanship. When she got the feeling she was looking longer than necessary, she opened it and began to read,

_"Hey! It's your birthday. 5 is a big number, you're getting old."_

Henry grinned rather than whined like Regina expected.

_"I know I missed out on a lot, but that's not gonna happen anymore. I like Mama a lot, and I especially love you, so as soon as I'm outta here I'll be around all the time."_

If more had been written, Regina would be unable to continue on. Her throat was closing up with emotion.

"I was going to add that that's my present to you this year. This year and every year, kiddo. How'd you like that?"

Henry bounced excitedly, his fist pumping through the air. "I knew it! I knew you'd live with us!"

The words had been spoken to Henry, but Regina didn't miss the commitment meant for her. Still speechless, she moved to Emma's other side.

"Might wanna close your eyes, kid," Emma warned. "We're so gonna make cooties."

Henry spun around. "Ew!"

Both women laughed and brought their lips together in a relatively chaste kiss, though Henry wasn't looking. A tear rolled down Regina's cheek and Emma wiped it away.

"Thank you," Regina whispered.

Emma took her hand in her own and squeezed it gently. "It's safe now, kid."

Henry spun back around. "Now Mama's present."

"That was my present," Regina murmured.

Emma chuckled. "I think he means your present to him," she whispered.

"Oh." She could almost hear the 'duh', and was surprised when Emma didn't say it. She straightened back up. "Right." She moved to where Henry was and slid the box in front of him. "Go crazy."

Henry didn't tear the wrapping paper, though, he unwrapped it almost as neatly as it had been wrapped. Not only was it his favorite color, but he wanted a tangible reminder of his first birthday with Emma awake. He planned to save it. He was certainly surprised to find many more objects inside the box that were wrapped red. His eyes grew wide as saucers.

"Nice trick," Emma smiled at Regina approvingly.

Henry wasn't quite so kind as to the rest of the wrapping paper. He'd already had enough to save. He moved it to a safe spot away from him so it wouldn't get ruined accidentally. A lot of things in the box were associated with red in some way, various Spiderman items, a stuffed Clifford the Big Red Dog, a scarf, gloves, and hat set for the oncoming winter, various items that could be used for school, she'd even thrown in some candy jewellery she'd found.

By the time Henry had unwrapped everything there was to unwrap, he'd proclaimed the day as the best birthday ever several times. To which Regina responded he was the best birthday boy ever. Emma had awwed then agreed.


	40. Chapter 40

What the birthday boy says is what goes on the birthday, so Regina used her authority to pull some strings that would allow herself and Henry to stay with Emma overnight. Thick blankets covered the floor in a makeshift bed for Henry, along with a pillow and more blankets to go over him. Regina shared with Emma.

At eleven that night, Emma found herself waking for apparently no reason. Then she realized she wasn't the only one awake. She pressed a kiss to Regina's cheek. "Why are you still up?" she whispered.

Regina blinked, not even having noticed Emma woke until she'd spoken. "No reason to concern you."

Emma wasn't sure whether it was the words or the tone she didn't like, but she frowned. "Did I take things too far with the card?"

Regina nearly gave herself whiplash with how fast she turned her head to look at her. "No. Emma, no." She laid a hand on her cheek, stroking gently with her thumb.

"Then what is it?"

Regina looked away again. "It's stupid."

Emma took hold of Regina's chin and gently turned her back. "It may be stupid, but if it's preventing you from sleeping it matters."

Regina closed her eyes. Talking to Emma when she was in a coma was different; easy. Now that she was awake it was quite different. "I had a nightmare," she admitted, practically grounding the sentence out.

"Just now?"

"Last night. I thought it would be laid to rest after we got here, but it's not going according to plan."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just want it gone." She opened her eyes once more.

Emma pulled her gently into her arms, letting her head settle against her chest. "I have them, too." She stroked her fingers through Regina's hair. "It used to be awful, because I'd wake up and still be in a nightmare."

"I'm sorry your life was so hard."

"Yours still is. At least I got away."

"But you nearly paid the price of your life in the process." Regina's voice cut out at the end, that sentence certainly wasn't helping the nightmare stop lingering.

"The key word is nearly. I'm here, and despite the odds apparently. You've said that no one believed I'd wake up. Well here I am, almost fully recovered. But you, I don't think you've gotten away yet."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the sound of Emma's heartbeat. "Pain makes me do stupid things, and I get hurt in the process of doing stupid things. It's a vicious cycle."

Emma tried not to let that worry her about what went on when Regina wasn't with her. "You can break it," she murmured. "I know you can."

"I think I'm addicted to despair, my happiness never lasts."

Emma's heart clenched and simultaneously broke at that statement. "Then I'll be your rehab."

"That might be suicide." Regina looked up at her.

Emma pressed a tender kiss to her lips. "I'm not going anywhere." She kissed her again. "You've been there for me for five years. I'll gladly return the favor. I don't care who I have to fight to do so, without willingness to fight for something, without it being necessary, it's not worth having. And you are so very worth having."

"Emma…" Damn her, making the wait for Thanksgiving harder than it already was. She just wanted to take her home, crawl into bed, and freeze the rest of the world so they could just be together without restrictions or distractions.

"I know you've lost people before, but I won't let myself be added to that list."

Regina dropped her head back onto Emma's chest, doing her best to keep the escaping sob quiet, Henry was sleeping just a few feet away.

Oh hell. Had that been the content of the nightmare? Wishing she thought more than she spoke, Emma slid her hand to Regina's back and rubbed comfortingly. "Ssh. I'm right here."

Regina truly hoped tragic ends coming in threes didn't apply to her romantic life. One could hardly call her time with Leopold romantic, but they were involved all the same. Daniel and Leopold were quite enough tragedies in that department. Regina didn't want to see Emma added onto that list. Especially when she was proving to be the best out of the three of them. Daniel had set the bar rather high, but his suicide had dropped him down a few pegs. It took some time for Regina to stop providing him excuses for his actions, though how much time she was unsure. It was gradual, she supposed. Throughout the Leopold ordeal she'd held him in such high regard, after all they had at least shared a real connection, but the more time since Leopold's death that past, the shorter Daniel's pedestal must have gotten. She'd been so sure he'd taken her happiness with his death, she stopped fighting her mother.

Now, though, in such a relatively short period of time, Emma's potential of actually being the one for her just kept on increasing. It was hard for Regina to get a firm grasp of her feelings, because the succession of the increase rate was staggering. She couldn't wrangle it long enough to put a label on it. She just knew that her waking thoughts were filled pretty equally with thoughts of Henry and Emma. Perhaps it was so hard to do because love and logic rarely ever got along, and Emma was the logical choice. She was Henry's other mother. It made sense in her head and her heart agreed and that was such a rare occurrence.

Daniel had been an illogical choice as they were still in college, a place of many changes, and they were trying to find permanency there. Her heart was all for it, but her head knew they'd split paths eventually. Her head had major bragging rights for that one.

Leopold was a lot more logical under the surface than at first glance. Beyond the obvious wealth and status, it meant there was another male around the house for Henry to familiarize with. Mary was a decent age to play the role of older sister. It would have made for the picturesque American family.

Emma, though, she was pleasing both to heart and mind. It was perfect in her head; a child's parents should be together. Her heart was always aflutter and leaping with joy at a glance, word, or touch from the blonde woman. For the two organs to wave white flags and work together, it was a strange phenomenon.

Regina never even realized the lingering nightmare lingered no more. Everything that was Emma lulled her into a safer sleep. She couldn't be sure of when, her brain had energizer bunny like qualities, odds and ends swirling about even in an unconscious state.

Emma smiled when she noticed the older woman's breathing had evened out. She continued rubbing those circles, just in case abrupt stopping would rouse her again. With Regina back in a peaceful state, Emma allowed herself to ease back into sleep, the weight of the brunette serving as a comfortable reminder of her presence.


	41. Chapter 41

When Regina woke up there were still a few hours before Henry needed to be taken to school. She doubted she'd want to move. She certainly wasn't wanting to at the moment. She still felt like she was bending in supremely uncomfortable positions just to get her work done, as no one had yet stepped up to the plate for secretary. Which basically meant Regina had two jobs. She didn't like it.

She nuzzled her head against Emma's chest, reveling in the feeling of being in her arms while she still could. She didn't know when she'd have the time to come by next, and that killed her. She couldn't simply make time, either. Cancelling meetings and whatever else she had to deal with for the day was turning out to be a lot harder than actually going through with them. She'd tried to once, and all the rescheduling took up the time that would have been otherwise free to her if she had a secretary.

It didn't sound hard. At the surface it looked as if she could say she's free at 6:30pm on a Monday, but if a 5:00 meeting that same day ended up lasting for two hours, the 6:30 meeting would be waiting at least half an hour for them to finish. There was no way of knowing exactly how long the meetings would last, and Regina was baffled as to how her secretary had lined them up to the minute precisely.

Emma stirred beneath her. "Hey," came her sleep coated voice. "Sleep better last night?" Regina felt fingers through her hair again.

The brunette lifted her head slightly to look at her. "Much, thank you." She kissed her softly.

"Good." Her hand moved to cup Regina's cheek. "When do you have to leave?"

"Eleven at the latest. I'd like to get some food in Henry before dropping him off at school."

Emma nodded, using her other hand to wipe the sleep from her own eyes. "I'll miss you." She was aware it could be a while before Regina had some free time in her schedule, as long as she was without a secretary.

"Don't say that, I won't leave." She leaned into Emma's hand. She already didn't want to leave, if Emma kept saying that she'd cave and ignore responsibility.

"I'm not seeing a problem with that."

Regina swatted at Emma's shoulder. "Stop it."

"It's true."

"I'd rather not give my mother reason to screw up my life even more. Which means you need to stop seducing me away from my job."

Emma quirked an eyebrow. "Seducing, huh? I haven't really tried that yet…"

"You are completely incorrigible. Cut it out."

"You like it."

"That's the problem. Just hold off until you're out of here."

"I'm not quite seeing the difference between charming you to stay with me either here or there."

"Quit that."

"Make me."

Fine, then, if that's what it took. Regina captured those smirking lips with her own in a kiss deep enough that it should shatter all coherent thought. The soft moan that escaped Emma's throat served as confirmation of that.

Regina pulled back with a smirk of her own. "You were saying?"

Emma was nearly breathless. "Hm?"

"There's a good girl." Regina kissed the tip of her nose.

Emma smiled, finding the action adorable. "I'm glad I got to wake up to you. From the coma, I mean. I get the feeling I would have been alone otherwise."

Regina kissed her again, knowing without her the Tallahassee hospital wouldn't be patient enough with her, and not wanting to say so. If there were one reason to be thankful for her political position, it was no question right in front of her.

"Mm, what was that for?"

"Just my way of saying me too." She ran a finger along the curve of Emma's jaw.

The most ridiculous snort came from the floor, along with a rustling sound. The two women looked over to see Henry roll in his sleep.

Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing too loudly. "Does that happen often?"

"That was an entirely new noise for me. Though I guess I wouldn't be able to hear it over the thump from him falling off the bed."

Emma snickered. "Poor kid gets that from me." She shook her head slightly. She was always falling out of bed. Most of the time that was because her beds were ridiculously small, but still. She was actually surprised she hadn't fallen out of the hospital bed yet. It would probably happen before her stay was over, at least once. It was almost like a weird tradition her body started without permission. A bed wasn't officially slept on until it was fallen out of.

"Speaking of genetic similarities, remember when you thought you hallucinated that first kiss?"

"Yeah."

"Henry thought he'd dreamt everything because he fell asleep here and woke up at home."

"Aww." Emma looked over to Henry again. "He's so precious."

"That he is," Regina agreed.

"When did you –" Emma paused and backtracked. "Can I ask when you lost your daughter?"

"At birth. She would've been turning four next month."

That was horrible. "I suppose I thought you got to have a bit of time with her, knowing that you didn't…now I feel bad for asking."

"There's going to be a lot of things you feel bad about asking, then. But I don't plan on hiding my past from you. Just know a lot of what you'll come to know isn't to be public knowledge. I much prefer to have my constituents fear me than pity me."

"I get that. I always liked being the new kid as opposed to the emo kid. Regardless I was ignored, but it was nice to have people not know enough rather than know too much."

Regina laughed, because somehow that sparked an idea for solving her lack of secretary problem. "I don't know how, but I think you just gave me my solution for secretary."

"I did?"

She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before. It was perfect, really. "Our main newspaper journalist has this ridiculous crush on me. He'd jump at the chance to work more closely with me. But that doesn't have to be permanent. You'll be in need of a job when you're discharged…"

Emma's eyes went wide. "Me? You want me to be your secretary?" Then something clicked. "You sneaky little minx, you, you just like the idea of being the boss of me."

"Oh, it's pretty win-win, wouldn't you say? I get more time with you while you're here when I give Mr. Glass a temporary promotion, of course he won't know it's temporary, and then you pretty much get all day with me when you take over. We'll see each other at work and at home. I'm sure you'll be able to determine who is and who is not worth my time."

"Job, shelter, family…you're giving me it all. Definitely an angel."

Regina kissed her again, feeling lighter. Now leaving that day wouldn't be quite so hard. She knew Sidney would accept the offer like he accepted any scrap of attention she gave him. Putting up with him during the day would be worth it, and she would often find reason to leave anyway. His presence would simply be a necessary annoyance until Emma was fit for discharge and settled into non-hospital life.


	42. Chapter 42

**AN: We're back! Apologies for the break, but quality would go down if I wrote without ideas.**

Regina learned that surprising a physical therapy patient during the therapy session wasn't the greatest idea, something she should have known in the first place. It wasn't as if she'd jumped around a corner shouting 'boo!', but the result was similar to what one would do if she had. Her intentions were pure. She'd wanted to surprise her with the gift of encouragement. She'd surprised her alright, Emma tripped over her own feet upon seeing her. Regina's speed then envied that of an Olympic racer to make sure she didn't tumble to the ground, physical therapist gawking at Storybrooke's Mayor's seeming rush of adrenaline.

"Holy shit! Regina, what are you doing here?" Emma was slightly out of breath as she looked into the face of the angel who saved her yet again.

"I thought I'd come to encourage you. Really, Emma, people aren't speaking literally when they talk of falling for someone." She eased her back up.

Emma gained a cocky smirk. "You caught me, didn't you?" She winked.

It was an interesting exchange for the physical therapist to see. Of course, Regina's relations with her patient weren't quite secret, but it was the first time she was witnessing Regina's feelings in action.

"Always." Regina chuckled. "Now, will it be too much of a distraction if I stay? Otherwise I'll be home alone until it's time to get Henry."

"I know you're here now. So no. But shouldn't you be at the office?"

"I take pleasure in making Mr. Glass suffer, and he takes pleasure in taking my orders without question."

"Madame Mayor," the older lady interrupted. "May my patient be returned? This session is now five minutes shorter than intended."

Regina fought not to roll her eyes. She had to suck up to this woman to ensure Emma's discharge by Thanksgiving. Once she made sure Emma was steady once more, she stepped over to the therapist, putting on her business smile. "Actually, I'd like to steal a few more moments of your time. If it's no trouble, I am after all the one paying you," the underlying threat read through clearly. When the other woman nodded for her to continue, she went on, "Emma would really like to be discharged by Thanksgiving. As would I like her to be. I have already worked out a routine that would make sure Emma is physical at least an hour every day after discharge. I'll up it to two if you give your word she will be discharged by this time and no later. You're technically the only one keeping her here, her bill of health is otherwise clear."

"I'll need to see and approve of this routine of yours."

"I assumed as much. I had it faxed over before leaving the office. There are both one and two hour routines in detail. I plan on doing the one hour no matter what you think if she's not discharged by the desired time. The two hour is only if she's home by Thanksgiving. And I do mean by. Earlier is acceptable, which is why I don't plan on leaving the hospital until you've looked it over." Funny how the power was entirely in the older woman's hands, yet Regina could back her into a corner with pseudo blackmail.

"You should probably do it," Emma piped up. "I can be extremely childish when I don't get my way."

Regina smirked at Emma's contribution. She was too cute. "That's all. Resume." She backed out of the way so the rest of the session could continue on in peace.

Emma flashed her a smile. She was so kick ass. If she'd been in the system, she'd yank everything into submission by the hair. If the attitude was the same back then, Emma would likely follow with the same puppy-like admiration that what's his name seemed to in the present.

It was nice for Regina to see Emma up and about for once. It was a nice surprise to find that Emma was actually taller than her when standing at her full potential, even with Regina's heels. It wasn't by much, but once the shoes were off, there would be at least a head's difference.

Emma didn't struggle as often as Regina would've thought. She needed to stop putting her expectation of life in scenes from movies and television. The physical therapy had reached the non-obvious stage, the obstacles smaller and virtually non-existent to someone not in the know. Regina wasn't in the know. She took note of the exercises anyway, wanting to be fully prepared to help Emma when she was discharged. She didn't expect her to be fully independent by then, even with the speedy recovery, especially with an expedited release.

At some point Regina must have drifted off in thought; the next thing she knew, blue-green eyes were boring into her own.

"Hiya, shortie."

"Woah, hey." Regina smiled.

"You are a complete space cadet, you know that? My next attempt to gain your attention was going to be a striptease lap dance."

"My brain must've wandered off without me. Is your session over?"

"Yup. Doc's already scrutinizing your plans. Which you never informed me of, by the way."

"Exercise is always recommended after hospital leave. The average person doesn't get enough, so says every doctor. You wouldn't want to be back here because you lost control of your body again, correct?"

"Yeah, I do hate hospitals. Though it wouldn't hurt to see you in a nurse outfit one day…"

"Why don't you write a list, and I'll do them on holidays?" Regina was only half-joking. There were many outfits from days of old she possessed that still fit her, that she simply had no reason to wear anymore.

Cheshire Cat appeared on Emma's face. Though her question was innocent. "So, two hours, huh? Every day?"

"I'll do it with you. Jogging, yoga…" Regina lowered her voice. "We don't have to do everything on that list. I just want to get you out of here."

"Aww." Emma slid onto Regina's lap, looping her arms around her neck. "So you're basically lying so I can be the hell outta dodge by Thanksgiving?"

"It's semi-truth. Can't have you forgetting to use most of your body again, that was hard enough the first time, don't you think? We will be doing things every day. At least an hour. But not everything, not all the time. For one thing Henry wouldn't let us. For another I don't want to punish you, I want to help. Two very different things, those are."

Emma nuzzled her head against Regina's shoulder. "I can't wait," she murmured.

"Soon." Regina wrapped her arms around her, hands resting on her back. She pecked her lips. "Soon."


	43. Chapter 43

**AN: Still sick but writing energy has returned. Revenge shall be taken herein.**

The times where Regina got sick were as rare as the times when meteors fell from the sky. Apparently having a little boy around still building up his immune system made her more susceptible to whatever he contracted. Empathy sickness, she supposed.

It was like a body jumper, that annoying illness. There were a couple days of peace after it left Henry's system, and then it was woman down. Not quite so dramatic, of course. It was a gradual invasion. First came the sneezing, which Regina originally cast off as seasonal. Winter had always been a bit of an irritant to her nose. Next came a persistent ache in her throat. Throat lozenges served that fine, until it got to the point where eating became too much of a chore as swallowing began to hurt. By the time coughing started, Regina had stepped down from going to the office; her concentration was starting to lack. She knew by that point it would be unwise to keep her next planned visit with Emma.

She called, and wouldn't you know, her voice quit on her. It wasn't just low or scratchy; it was as if someone hit the mute button. Even her growl of frustration afterwards was silent. ****

There was soon no point in getting out of bed. Whenever she did she was lightheaded, thanks to her temporary strike on eating. She stopped trying to cure herself with cough syrups; they ironically only seemed to make her cough more. She tried one day to make sure Henry got to school, but it was too damned cold even with all the layers she had on. She then proceeded to throw in the towel and decided he didn't have to attend school as long as she felt unfit to take him. He probably would have enjoyed it more if he weren't so confused about her sudden silence.

Funny, that. Henry hadn't lost his voice. One would think when a child and adult have the same illness the child would be the one to have it worse, seeing as their bodies are smaller and have weaker immune systems. One would think. Apparently it just didn't always work out that way.

It was either Regina or her thermometer that was broken, because in under half an hour her temperature read a perfect 98.6, then dipped down to 96.4, then jumped up to 100.5.

It was boring and miserable and irritating to be sick like that. They certainly over glorified it in television and movies, but then they over glorified everything so that shouldn't have been a surprise. Television, now that had a wacky little side effect. It was all she could really do, but then she couldn't watch half of what she normally did as while sick she was too squeamish.

Grey's Anatomy, couldn't watch the surgeries so what was the point? Vampire Diaries, well as handsome as Ian Somerhalder was, the sight of blood and sound of bones breaking were suddenly unappetizing. Basically any cop, medical, or supernatural shows were just a bit too gory and that left Regina with nothing to watch.

With quite literally nothing to do, having burned out her options rather quickly, it became Regina's routine that the only reason she got out of bed was because Henry was hungry or she needed to pee.

What felt like eternity was actually only three days. On the third day, Mary Margaret let herself into the house and was practically barreled over by Henry. Almost all the wind was knocked out of her.

"Woah, Henry! Hey." She patted his back. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

Henry shrugged. "I dunno."

Mary Margaret's eyebrows furrowed together. "You don't know? Where's your mom?"

"I don't think Mama feels well. I was sick, now I think she is."

"Oh." Mary nodded. "Well I wasn't going to stay very long, but I will if you want me to."

Henry nodded enthusiastically. "I don't like having to play by myself."

Mary's heart went out of him. Regina must be feeling pretty crappy if she wasn't giving him much attention.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

Mary recognized the sound as Regina's cell ringing and let it be. Obviously Regina wasn't going to want to be bothered. Whoever it was could just be patient. She let Henry lead her off.

However,

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

five minutes later it rang again.

"Gonna get that?" Henry asked. "It's gone off like a million billion times."

Mary chuckled at his concept of numbers. "It's not my phone to get."

Though by the time fifteen more minutes went by, the phone never failing to ring again at each five minute increment, Mary started to wonder if Henry had some truth in that exaggeration.

"Hold on." Mary got up and went to Regina's room. She knocked on the door lightly before opening it. "Regina?" No response, she was out like a light. So Mary rose her voice a bit, "Regina? Someone keeps calling you. Do you want me to answer it or turn it off?"

Regina, who only registered Mary's voice and not the question, found the strength to wave her off with one hand before falling back into sleep.

Mary took that as her 'do whatever' response. Mary was going to just turn it off, but when she saw all the missed calls had come from the same number, and that the number belonged to the hospital, worry suddenly washed over her and changed her mind. On the next ring, she answered.

"Who's this?" Well that didn't sound like a professional in the medical field. Though, Mary gathered, she would be a bit surprised if someone who wasn't the mayor was answering the mayor's personal phone.

"You're the one calling Re – Madame Mayor's phone, I think I should be asking you."

"And you're the one answering _Regina's _phone."

Mary's eyebrows rose up, while the person on the other end took her silence as a cue to continue talking.

"Fine, we're obviously going to be walking in circles for a long time unless I answer you first. I'm Emma, Regina's girlfriend. Now are you going to tell me who the hell you are and why you're answering her phone?"

That wasn't quite the response Mary was expecting, but then she supposed she wouldn't really know anyway, Regina was private enough as it was and Mary was spending less and less time at the house. She regained her thought process. "I'm Mary Margaret, her almost step-daughter. She's ill at the moment, that's why I'm answering."

That was news to Emma. Then again, she'd been trying not to ask too many questions about Regina's past. But wouldn't that have been an important detail to know? Finally, the last part registered. "Is she okay?"

"You're the one calling from the hospital. You tell me."

Emma supposed it made sense that if she didn't know about Mary, Mary wouldn't know about her. "I'm here for myself, I wouldn't know.

"You're a patient?"

"I think I just made that obvious."

"How…How have I not heard anything?"

"I don't know you either, if that makes you feel any better."

"I'm not sure it does."

"Well, I guess I should get out of your hair. Just…when she's well make sure she gets ahold of me, yeah?"

"…Sure…" Click.

She could understand not being told Regina was involved with someone. That was fine. Their relationship wasn't picture perfect, certainly not enough to be each other's regular confidants. But certainly this, Regina's new, if it was even new, significant other being hospitalized, was a big enough thing that Regina would need to tell someone. From what Mary gathered, the woman didn't have a great number of friends. So how on Earth was she just finding out now?

One thing was for sure, when Regina was feeling normal again, she was going to have a bit of questions to answer.


	44. Chapter 44

"Oh good, you're up."

Regina paused at Mary's odd tone and lifted her eyebrow before proceeding to make herself some tea. She didn't quite need coffee just yet. "Yes," she confirmed noncommittally. A moment later she realized she'd just spoken. Score one for Regina. 

"Feeling better?"

"I suppose." Her usual nonchalance was present, answering more than Regina's words had.

"Good." Two minutes passed. "Who's Emma?"

Regina coughed at the unexpected question. To cover up the suspicious action, she coughed again. She turned. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Emma."

"What about her?"

"She's your girlfriend."

"Congratulations, Mary, you've answered your own question."

"So how come I have no idea who she is?"

"Obviously you do."

"Only because she called yesterday."

Regina blinked in order to prevent her eyes from widening. "She…what?" The tea was long forgotten by this point.

"Yup."

"You spoke to her." It wasn't a question.

"Obviously. Now, I know who you are so this wouldn't really be a big deal in ordinary situations, but one would think you'd want to talk to someone when your significant other is in the hospital."

"You're very presumptuous, Mary. Do I corner you and question you about David?"

"You know about David! Tell me, would I have ever known about this Emma if I hadn't answered that call?"

"By Thanksgiving, yes."

"What happens then?"

"She moves in."

"Oh, so I'd know when a stranger to me starts living in the same place with me out of the blue. That's nice. So other than that, no, I never would have known."

"You don't have to stay here, Mary. Your father died and I let you stay. You're an adult now; you can leave whenever you want. You don't even have to pay rent, but that could change. Do you really want to push me?"

"Jesus, Regina, it's been nearly five years! We've known each other that long; I thought you may have actually started liking my company. Figures all I'm good for is taking care of Henry when you're not around."

"I'm not your mother, okay?! I'm not responsible for you and I never was."

"It has to be by blood then, huh? I get it. You love Henry so much 'cause he's yours, and you hate me because I'm alive and Jasmine isn't."

Regina closed her eyes, her hands closing into fists. "Don't you dare –"

"Newsflash! She was my sister, too!"

Regina's eyes snapped open. She was done with this. "Oh, you want a newsflash? I have several!" She began ticking them off on her fingers. "One, Henry isn't mine, he's adopted. Two, Emma is not only my girlfriend but his birthmother. Three, she was comatose for five years and woke up just recently. Four, I lied about being Henry's mother that day to steer you and your father away. Five, I was never interested in him, I never loved him! Six, Jasmine was not conceived in love. And finally, I am so fucking glad Leopold is dead because I _never _wanted that marriage. Think about that." Regina stormed off, actually feeling lighter now that it was all off her chest. She was so tired of the girl judging her without knowing all the facts. She wasn't the damn bad guy, and it was time Mary got that through her unbelievably thick skull.

All that information made Mary short-circuit a bit. Needless to say, her image of her father was shattered. She'd thought, God, all those years she'd thought Regina had changed her mind at some point after that initial meeting, but it turned out she hadn't. And Jasmine, that made her sick to her stomach, that he could actually _do _that. There had been times where he'd been drunk and confused her for her mother, but he'd never actually tried to do anything. The fact that it sounded like he'd been sober when he… How the hell could anyone keep that a secret? Certainly Regina had the power to lock him away if she'd wanted to. She could've gotten an abortion as well. Mary shook her head; she couldn't compute it all at once. Most baffling of all, that made Mary the child of a rapist…and the victim was keeping her around? No wonder that was a shaky relationship at best. It was amazing how confused she was but how much made more sense.

Regina went to Henry's room. "Hey! Wanna see Mommy?"

"You're talking!"

"Yeah, I'm better." Regina swept him up into her arms. She pressed a kiss to his temple. "So, wanna see Mommy?"

"Duhhhhhhh." He nodded enthusiastically as he wrapped all limbs around Regina.

Regina laughed. "Okay. Let's just get our warm clothes on. Don't need to get sick again." She got him all decked out in his warm reds and she pulled on her warm layers of black. Once they were both ready, she took him out to the car. "We can't stay too late, though. You do have to go to school tomorrow."

Henry shrugged. "Friday anyway." Friday meant a weekend was coming up so he'd have a couple days at home anyway.

"And soon it will be Thanksgiving break, so you'll get more time off. But that's still about a month away."

Henry grinned. "Mommy'll be home then, right?"

"Right." Before then, actually. Regina managed to jump the discharge up a couple weeks. She'd told Mary Thanksgiving, but she doubted the girl would hang around much in the two weeks before anyway. She was off with David and whatever it was she did otherwise, if anything. She was saving the news as a surprise; Emma still thought it would be Thanksgiving, or perhaps the day before. The look on her face would be worth keeping the secret.

She realized just how soon that would be. Thanksgiving was on the 23rd that year, so Emma would be getting discharged on the 9th. Which happened to be two weeks exactly after that day, October 26. Regina smiled upon noticing that the current date held an anniversary. "Guess what today is, Henry?"

"Uh…Thursday?" That was cute. A for effort.

"Besides that."

"I dunno."

"I met you and Mommy exactly five years ago today."

"Cool!"

Regina laughed at his enthusiasm. "Very cool." 


	45. Chapter 45

Knock knock. Emma looked up to see her two favorite people. "Hey guys."

Henry charged in and hopped up onto the bed. "Missed you!" He pressed a kiss to Emma's cheek, wrapping his arms around her neck.

"I missed you, too." She hugged him close. When the moment passed, she looked to Regina. "You look better."

"I am."

"So…almost step-daughter, huh?"

"Told you I had a past."

"Didn't sound much younger than me."

"She's not. Only four years between you two."

"That's weird."

"I'm aware."

"Is something up? Your words are very clipped."

"Can we not do a million questions today? I just had that at home, and I'd rather not snap on you."

"Ah." Hence Henry. He was there to keep the mood lightened.

"Especially when this is the five year anniversary of my meeting the two of you," Regina added.

"It is? They don't exactly keep a calendar in here for me." That didn't sound great when it left her head. She amended, "I mean I know it's October 26, 2001 in the book thing, I just didn't realize today was the 26th."

"It is." Regina squeezed onto the bed with them. "I had whatever Henry had and I don't want to pass it onto you."

Emma got the hidden message. No going overboard on touching.

Henry wiggled until he was lying in both their laps.

"Can't stay in one place, can you? Emma asked. She stroked her fingers through his hair.

"Nope!"

She snorted. Well, she'd asked. She moved her free hand over to one of Regina's and squeezed gently, hoping to send the silent message that no matter what she still didn't know, she accepted her past. What she really wanted was to kiss her, but it wouldn't do to get sick when she was so close to getting out of the hospital. Regina squeezed back, so she guessed the message was received.

"Mommy," Henry whispered.

"Why are we whispering?"

"I have a secret."

"Oh?"

"You'll be out by Thanksgiving Break."

"Yay!" Emma indulged him, even though she knew that already. She threw in some golf claps to add to the effect.

"You two," Regina scoffed with a smirk.

Emma rose an eyebrow. "You chose us."

"Yes." One arm looped over Henry's stomach and the other wrapped around Emma's waist, drawing them closer. "I did."

Emma couldn't resist pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"You know what's occurred to me? I don't know your birthday. Feels like I should."

"January 28th. I don't know yours either. Just that it's in July."

"The 15th."

"So…" Emma did the math. "1977?"

"Yes."

"Weird."

"Too big a gap from 1983 for you?"

"Nah. Though I guess it would be weird if I were sixteen and you were twenty-two."

"Still feel like 1999?"

"Anything but 2006. In my head I feel like there's eleven years between us."

Regina shuddered.

Thankfully, Henry decided to interrupt. "Too many numbers!"

They laughed. Too many numbers, indeed.

"How's school?" Emma asked.

Henry shrugged. "It's okay. I know half the alphabet now! I just get stuck after lemmopee."

Regina cackled. It wasn't that funny, but she'd needed a laugh and overcompensated a bit. "That's great, dear." She pressed a kiss to the top of his head. She didn't want him to think she was laughing at him.

"I think you're smarter than I was when I was your age," Emma told him. "I don't think I had it down until I was six or something."

Regina held back that she already knew how to read by herself at age three. Then again, with Cora as her mother, it was surprising she wasn't running for President of 2008. Unless that was what Cora was being all absent lately for. Regina mentally groaned. That would be much too far. She'd have to flee the country.

Emma's snaps brought her back to the present. "You need to be an astronaut 'cause you're out in space all the time."

"I apologize. My thoughts kidnap me."

"It's been five minutes."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was wondering if you could fall asleep with your eyes open."

"Hm. What did I miss?"

Henry launched into a complete replay of the dialogue between him and his blonde mother that she'd missed. Which took up another five minutes.

"I think we have a little actor on our hands," Emma stated. "I kid you not, that was everything word for word."

"How 'bout that, Henry? See yourself in movies?"

"With Johnny Depp, sure!"

Emma cheered while Regina groaned.

"So my kid!" Emma gave Henry a high five.

Regina rolled her eyes. "I'm warning you, if I see so much as one poster of that overrated actor on my walls…you're on the couch indefinitely."

"What do you have against Depp?"

"The man himself? Nothing. The fame however is tedious and annoying."

"How about Tim Burton? Helena Bonham Carter?"

"They're okay."

"Tim's as famous, if not more, than Johnny Depp though."

"Tim's autistic. That makes his fame inspiring."

"He is? That explains a lot…"

"No posters, clear?"

Emma saluted her. "Aye Aye! No posters without express permission from Madame Mayor."

"Emma. Really. Are you five?"

"I am!" Henry interrupted with gusto.

Emma kissed his cheek. "Hm, maybe stand up comic is more your calling. You make everything funny."

"That'll change when you're around more often," Regina told her. "He'll get in trouble and you so can't leave all the punishing to me. You don't get to just be the cool parent."

Henry cuddled closer to his brunette mother. "You're cool, Mama."

That was an ego boost Regina hadn't known she needed.

"Keep saying that, kiddo," Emma told him. "Pinky swear you won't stop telling her that even when you're fifteen and twenty and don't think you need her much anymore."

Henry's eyes went wide. "Someone at school told me if you break a pinky promise you die."

"We're not in Harry Potter, kid. It's not the Unbreakable Vow."

Regina bit her lip, trying not to laugh. He was so gullible. Then again that shouldn't surprise her, he believed magic was real. Harry Potter was nothing if not full of magic. She leaned closer to Emma, speaking low enough that only the two would hear, "It may as well be, he believes in magic. Apparently both kinds."

Emma nodded. "Alright, well Henry, I'll tell you it won't kill you if you break it, but I'm not gonna tell you what _does _happen. So just make the promise and don't break it later, okay?" She held up her pinky and smiled when Henry linked it with his own. "There we go. Nothing bad happened."

"I haven't broken it. Duh."

"And you won't. Right?"

"Right."

"Good boy."

It was funny; Emma chose the same moment to kiss Henry's cheek that Regina chose to kiss hers. Regina ended up catching the corner of Emma's mouth. She pulled back as soon as she realized it; she really didn't want Emma getting sick.

Henry scrunched his nose up and poked his tongue out. "Stop making cooties on me!"

Emma chuckled. "What are you, the cootie police?"

"Yes!"

"Well then, officer, are you gonna arrest me?"

"Is that like grounding for adults?"

"Exactly. You're not gonna do that to your mom, are you?" She batted her eyelashes at him.

Henry sighed dramatically. "I guess standing in the corner for ten minutes would be nicer."

Regina shook her head at them. She could watch them all day. It would be really hard to concentrate on anything with both of them around full time.


	46. Chapter 46

"Hey," Emma caught the arm of the physical therapist before she could leave. "I was wondering if I'll be able to…um." Her cheeks colored. "Do things. Once I'm out."

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific."

Emma mentally groaned. Of course this would be embarrassing as hell. What happened to the mind reading powers all old people supposedly possess? "Well, I've got a kid that'll want to play with me. And then there's…more adult…activities…I might want to partake in. Get what I'm saying?"

That was more mental imagery of Storybrooke's mayor than she wanted. "If you're enquiring about sex, I'm not a cardiologist."

"English, please."

"I don't specialize in the heart."

"But you're the reason I'm still here. Everyone else is done with me."

"Well there you go."

"…I'm not following."

"If no one's expressed any concerns with the performance of your heart, then you should be free to have an active sex life."

"Ew. Don't say it like that. You're like fifty and I'm not a ho."

"Did I answer your question?"

"You said should. Should doesn't mean 100%."

"As I said, I don't specialize in the heart. Perhaps you should ask Dr. Whale."

"I'd rather not ask him anything involving female anatomy, thank you."

"He's most qualified to answer more specifically, if should be isn't good enough for you."

Emma grumbled. "Fine. Thanks anyway." She released the woman's arm, letting her go and moving back to the hospital bed of her room.

The plan wasn't to rush things with Regina, but the last thing she wanted to happen was her body fail her when they did make that step. She also didn't want to say 'Gee, Regina, I'd like to, but I don't know if I can so let me go ask a doctor real quick' when the time came. Couldn't ruin the mood more quicker than that. Normally it wouldn't even be something she'd worry about, but normally she wasn't a freshly awakened coma patient.

It was seriously boring at the hospital, however. She was glad to be leaving in the foreseeable future. It felt like she'd stayed at the hospital longer than she'd lasted in any of her foster homes, and that wasn't counting the length of the coma. Of course she knew that wasn't true, she'd had a family until she was three. Assholes. If Regina's daughter was meant to be turning four and Henry was already five, that meant she already had Henry when she got pregnant. She still had him, so obviously she wasn't planning on giving him up. Of course, she'd lost the daughter. In Emma's eyes that made it even better. If the family she was supposed to have abandoned her when they actually got their baby, and Regina kept Henry even after losing one of her own, well that made her the better person twice over. Emma wouldn't have even blamed her if she didn't keep him. It was hard enough knowing that she'd missed so much of his life, but if Emma had woken up to the news that he hadn't survived, she would be devastated. She didn't know she'd be able to take care of a child if there were another and that happened. In Regina's case, there were apparently two.

That, there. That was a twist she hadn't expected. Though it was better than the alternative. She'd met a wide range of people throughout her life, and she'd wondered for the briefest of moments if she was able to add polygamist to that list. Showed how much she really didn't know, but she trusted it would come out eventually. Regina was likely giving Emma some time to process her own life before throwing her own problems in. So foreign to have someone that thoughtful, in fact, she was usually put to blame for the problems of others. Neal was, she'd thought, a very rare bird. She'd known he was it. And then there was Regina and she seemed to just blow him right out of the water. She had to wonder, if he hadn't died, would Neal have waited for her? She'd known he'd wanted to be a father to Henry as much as she wanted to be a mother, but she wondered if he would have let her back in to their lives after a five year hiatus. It wasn't fair to compare, but she really had no one else to compare her to.

Well, there's a thought. Perhaps people are allowed more than one 'the one'. Maybe they came in pairs, one per gender, or perhaps Fate was kind when one had been lost and provided another.

With that thought, Emma chided herself; she really needed to slow down. She and Regina may be magnetically attracted to each other by nature, and it was clear she was welcoming, sharing a son was on their side, but it really hadn't been very long at all. Was it really the time to contemplate major life decisions? There was always the chance they'd wind up like any other set of parents, infatuation leaving and split time with the shared child. She had to remember she was an adult now, even if she didn't have the experience to show for it.

Scratch that. She'd had to grow up too fast, it was just it didn't always show through her behavior. And she happened to be missing five years of her life that she would never get back. Regina would always be the mature one of the two, no question. But Emma was going to have to step up to the plate. As she was already told, she wasn't allowed to just be the cool parent. She hoped she'd get the littlest bit of slack, though; Regina did have five years on her. Emma could, and would, clean up her act however.

At a hospital, there wasn't a whole heck of a lot that could be done to get in trouble, other than pressing the button for a nurse when you didn't actually need anything. Bonus points for her that she hadn't even done that. It couldn't be too hard, she decided, to obtain necessities while living with the town's mayor. She wasn't a runaway teenager anymore, and Regina told her the past would stay there. As long as Emma didn't allow it to leak into the present, she'd be good. She was getting a job, too. One she didn't even really have to try for, but it sounded like it was going to be a hell of a lot of work and she'd need to take it seriously. School was whatever. Not quite necessary. Keeping a mayor on track, however, that held a bit more pressure.

It sure beat working at some restaurant asking if they'd like fries with that. That was all they'd amount to, they'd said. Of course this was some lucky stroke of chance, but that didn't make it any less real. She would so love to see one of the kids who had harassed her, one of two of the foster families actually, in town so they could see where she ended up. Having a resume with the first listing that reads Secretary to Mayor of Storybrooke 2006, or 2007, through present would be quite impressive. All minor perks, though, compared to being close to Regina on a daily basis.

It was gonna rock. But that day was not today. She supposed she out to track that Whale down, as much as she was loathe to.


	47. Chapter 47

"I've got a question."

"I may have an answer."

"There was this trailer I saw for a musical not too long before the crash. I was wondering if you might have it." There weren't many modern, well at the time, movies that Emma had been interested in seeing, but this one was an exception.

"I'm gonna need a name," Regina replied.

"Moulin Rouge."

"I have it, yes, but I'm not sure you'd want to see it."

"Well I imagine you wouldn't have it if you thought it sucked."

"It doesn't."

"Then I want to see it."

"It's a little…heavy."

"Here's an Emma Swan fact of the day: I laughed at The Exorcist and the Chuckie movies."

Regina scrunched her nose. "Your sense of humor eludes me. Anyway, Moulin Rouge is nowhere near horror."

"I'm not completely incompetent, I'm aware of that. That's just me saying movies don't get to me all that much."

"This one will. If you want me to bring it in I will, but don't get mad at me when it makes you cry. I warned you."

"Old Yeller didn't make me cry."

"You must have an off switch to your emotions that I'd really like to be able to get my hands on, alas I can not, for I'm no vampire."

"Okay, you're addicted to fiction. Might wanna send you to an anonymous meeting."

"And that's what the internet is for, my dear."

"Are you real?" Emma poked her a few times in the shoulder. "Or are you just a very fleshy figment of my imagination? Next you're going to be telling me you have a passion for video games."

"Are you insulting me?" Regina curled closer to her. "It's so hard to tell with you."

"You totally evaded the video game part."

"I do that on purpose. Don't want you getting bored with me."

"You are a politician who probably watches more television shows than I know exist and can quote movies from memory, probably throws references into every day conversation that I don't catch half the time, has time to use the internet for fun…and you're worried about being boring? The chances of me being bored with you are as low as Hugh Hefner being bored in his Playboy Mansion."

"Was that a carefully worded request for me to don the Playboy Bunny outfit?"

Emma's eyes went wide. "Don't be so mean when you tease!"

"Who says that was teasing?" Regina nuzzled her nose against Emma's neck.

"Does that mean you actually have one of those outfits hiding in your closet?"

"Wait and see."

"Evil, evil tease you." Emma patted her back, but it was really a cover for the slap she delivered to Regina's posterior.

Regina yelped, pushing her weight onto her arms, slightly distancing herself from Emma on the hospital bed. "Did you really just do that? Really?" She narrowed her eyes. "Well if I'm evil in the land of teasing, you must be Satan."

Emma chuckled with theatrical darkness. "Ruling Hell sounds like a fun gig to have. You can be my Lilith."

Regina shook her head. "You are something else." She settled against her again, head resting on her shoulder. "Damn, I still feel that."

Emma giggled; highly amused she'd just gotten away with spanking her. "You can get me back for that later."

"Permission or no permission, I plan to. And I will make sure you never see it coming."

"Like I could forget a promise like that."

"You will."

"Pretty cocky, there."

"Nothing cocky about knowing the affect of my womanly charms." Regina placed a rather wet kiss on Emma's neck. 

"Mmm…damn it; I'm putty in your hands."

Regina's breath tickled Emma's ear when she whispered, "I _know."_

Emma's hands went to Regina's waist to pull her closer. "You're gonna drive me insane." She kissed her properly. "And I think I'm going to enjoy every second of it."

"Good." Regina kissed her again.

"These next two weeks can not go by quickly enough."

"Actually," Regina sat up properly with a smile. "You," she took her hands in her own and pulled her into a sitting position as well. "Get to come home today."

Emma's eyes went wide then narrowed in confusion. "I thought Thanksgiving wasn't until the 23rd?"

"It's not."

"What was all that crap about bringing the movie in, if I'm not gonna be here?"

"It's called preserving the surprise."

"So I can seriously leave? It's all legal and everything?"

"We could've left hours ago, but I knew this reaction would be too great to pass up."

"You…" Emma grabbed her face and pulled her into another kiss. It was followed by many shorter ones, until Regina stopped the chain by laughing.

"Our lips don't work quite like machine guns; I'm going to fall off if you keep trying to use the same rapid procession."

"Let's get me out of here, then." Emma grinned, and latched onto Regina's waist despite her words.

"That will require letting go."

"Nope!"

"Emma."

"Never!" She held on tighter.

Regina was losing her balance. "Emma, I'm seriously going to fall!"

Emma pulled her onto her lap. "Like I'd let that happen."

Regina pressed a fond kiss to the top of her head. "Come on, I'd like to get out of here by the time Henry needs to be picked up. This is a surprise for him, too."

The thought of Henry's excitement made Emma finally let go of Regina and allow her to be on her own feet without a leech-like attachment. "When does he get out?"

Regina checked the clock. "Half an hour. So let's get going."

Emma stood, then looked down at her own attire. "I need clothes."

Regina pulled up a bag from the foot of the bed, having managed to keep it out of Emma's view the whole time she'd been there. "Already covered."

When Emma looked inside, her jaw fell open. She pulled out the first article of clothing inside, a red leather jacket. "Is this…?"

"It's not the same one from the day of the crash, most of your clothes were ruined, but I found out what they were and got doubles. Something tells me blazers and pencil skirts wouldn't be your style."

Emma looked through the rest of the bag, finding it matched her memory of what she'd been wearing exactly. "God, Regina…" She captured her in a hug. "Thank you."

Regina smiled. "You're welcome, dear." She stepped back as soon as she was able. She grabbed the photo album and book of milestones from what had become their place on the counter. "I'll let you get dressed." She slipped out the door and waited.

It took some time, Emma was too stubborn to ask for help, but she did manage changing on her own. A good thing, too, she needed to know how eventually. The fact that it was sooner was definitely better. That done, there wasn't much she needed from the hospital room. She grabbed the bag; it wasn't generic for groceries, but belonged to an obviously upscale brand of which she'd never heard. Bidding the room good riddance, she exited, closing the door firmly behind her.

"Ready?"

Emma took Regina's offered hand. "So ready."

Off they went.


	48. Chapter 48

Henry was in for a great surprise to find both his mothers waiting for him, both casually leaning against Regina's black Mercedes. "Mama! _Mommy!" _He began to sprint as fast as his tiny legs could carry him, which was actually an impressive speed.

"Henry," Regina warned, but he'd already jumped.

To the brunette's relief, Emma supported Henry's weight easily when he jumped into her arms. "Hey, kid!"

"Whaddre you doing here?!" Both arms and legs wrapped around his blonde mother.

"I'm free, kiddo."

Henry propped his head on Emma's shoulder in order to look at Regina. "She's coming home with us?!"

Regina nodded. "She's coming home with us, baby." She rested a hand against his cheek and pressed a firm kiss to his forehead.

After a moment or two more, Henry's body grew tired and he let go with his legs, signaling his readiness to be returned to the ground.

Emma eased him down gently. Regina was completely right, with the right surprise, out came really great reactions. Henry's was too precious. "Want me to help you with your seat?" She found the concept of booster seats extremely annoying, even if it was supposedly safer. But it was something she could help with, in theory. Regina could step in if she couldn't figure it out.

It ended up being a joint effort. Half of the seatbelt would twist, and then would twist too far when it was being untwisted, and the buckle got lost in the seat. The car was acting out on jealousy, Regina claimed. Emma wondered if she had a name for it.

If Emma had thought the car was impressive, and she had, she was absolutely blown away by the mayoral manor, which seemed to be more like a not so miniature mansion. "No shit, you live here?!"

"Language," Regina warned.

Emma looked back at Henry. "Bad word, kid. Don't say it." She returned her gaze to the house. "Seriously?! And…is that a balcony?"

"That would be correct." She clicked the button that opened the garage. "Would you get Henry out? I'll let you in after I park."

Emma was still in awe, but she did what was told. It was such an interesting contrast, the black of the car and the white of the house. She was instantly reminded of Cruella DeVille. Henry led the way, apparently there was a proper way to get to the front door and cutting through the grass wasn't tolerated.

The porch had pillars of all things. Pillars! Like it was some ancient Greek temple housing Gods. It may as well have been, as Emma had already compared Regina to both angels and goddesses. She was surprised when the door opened, and realized there must be a door connecting the garage to the manor. Emma was tugged through the doorway by Henry, and her jaw dropped at the sight.

"Tell me you don't have servants." Emma was starting to feel extremely inadequate in the presence of such extravagance.

"This isn't the '50s," Regina replied with amusement.

"A maid then? Or several?" Nowhere Emma had lived before was so clean. How was it so clean with a five year old around?

"Watch your step." There had been a small renovation after the loss of Jasmine, and the front walkway was no longer flat. Three small steps were added. It seemed pointless, but Regina needed a change and at the time it had been three years since Jasmine's birth and death day. It was almost like a tattoo, visible to anyone who looked but the true meaning only being known to the owner. If she hadn't spent the entirety of her life with her mother's hand in her hair, ready to issue a tug when deemed necessary, she may have gotten one in Jasmine's honor. Alas, she did not, and found other ways to pay tribute.

Emma would have fallen right over the small set of stairs if not for Regina's warning, as her eyes were still taking in her surroundings in absolute awe. Henry had gotten bored already and dashed off, which was telling in how much time Emma was spending staring. In fact, she glanced back to see the door shut, she didn't recall hearing Regina move from the door to where she stood currently, in front at an elevated level. She took the steps and continued to look around.

"You know, the walls aren't made of gold. Or chocolate."

"You sure about that? Both of those can be white, and this is very, very white."

Regina smirked. "Feel free to come get me when you're done ogling." She made to leave, though she wasn't actually going to.

Emma snapped back to the present and gripped Regina's arm. "Are you crazy? I'll get lost in here!"

Regina chuckled. "Oh, relax. I wasn't going anywhere. I just never thought I'd experience envy toward inanimate objects." She drew Emma closer until their lips met in a kiss.

Emma took the opportunity to pull Regina as close as possible as they kissed, something she'd been longing to do for quite a while, but had never quite been able to. "No need to be jealous," she murmured. "You're more fun than walls. You're squishy."

Regina snorted. "Sure."

Emma poked her belly button. "You are!"

"Hey!" Regina slid back half a foot, a rather impressive feat on hardwood flooring wearing heels. She twisted her front side away from Emma and her poking fingers. "I did not give permission for pokes and prods!" She was taken by complete surprise when Emma switched tactics entirely and swept her up into her arms. "Emma Swan, put me down before you pull a muscle!" She swatted at Emma's shoulder.

"You're not very heavy." Emma spun around a few times in emphasis, making Regina cling to her for dear life.

"Emma, please!"

Emma didn't set her down until she'd located the nearest piece of furniture, a quite comfortable and overstuffed armchair that made a whooshing noise as she plopped the weight that was Regina into it.

"Let's not be so eager to land you back in the hospital already. You've gotta be careful, can't be lifting Henry and certainly not myself all the time."

"Relax." Emma eased onto her lap, effectively straddling her. "Lifting a combined weight of maybe one hundred fifty pounds one time isn't going to kill me." She kissed away the worry lines that were forming on Regina's forehead.

Regina let her hands come to rest on Emma's back. "I'll let it slide just this once. Once, you hear me?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Emma tilted Regina's chin up slightly in order to give her the softest of kisses. 


	49. Chapter 49

"I could _kill _for a shower." Emma's jaw dropped for the millionth time upon entering the extravagant house at the sight of what waited in the bathroom. "Or a bath deep enough to drown in," she amended.

Regina chuckled. The little tour was not so little anymore, as Emma was finding every single room fascinating. "Really, dear, this isn't the White House."

"It may as well be! It's white, it's huge, and a politician lives here."

"There's no indoor pool, no stage, no billiards room…"

"No indoor pool? What do you call that?" Emma flapped at the giant tub in gesture.

"I rather think it's more like a Jacuzzi myself."

Emma's eyes just about popped out of her head.

"Come on." Regina patted her shoulder. "There's more to see."

Only the guest rooms were left, five of which were free. Henry's room was the one closest to the master bedroom, and Mary's was the only one downstairs. The rest were placed sporadically along the upper level.

Though the walls in each were white, each room had a color scheme with the furniture. One was red, then there was green, blue, violet, and silvery gold. "I changed my mind. This house is more like a rainbow," commented Emma.

"I got bored. You can take your pick."

"They're all bigger than most houses I've lived in. I don't think I'm ever going to need that much space."

"I can't shrink their size for you. Henry's rather fond of red. He threw quite the fit when I didn't allow it to be his room."

"Maybe I'll take that one, then."

"Try them all out, if you wish. No need to choose right away."

"It's gonna be weird getting used to having options as opposed to being one."

Regina looped her arms around Emma's neck. "Oh, but you're the best option." She drew her in for a kiss.

Emma melted into the kiss, her hands moving to rest on Regina's waist. The woman simply could not be any lovelier. Emma was very unused to her ego being stroked, and Regina did it constantly. She supposed it was the same kind of thing that made people fall into drugs; if Emma were to be an addict her drug of choice would be Regina. She knew too much would never be enough.

"I love having you here," Regina murmured when the kiss broke, not moving away from the blonde beauty she'd somehow managed to ensnare.

"I'm glad I'm out of the hospital. Can't stand the things. Only you made it tolerable."

Regina let her head come to rest against her chest, her ear finding the beat of Emma's heart. "I can say the same for a great many things." She thought back to all those times she endured hell, and her visits to Emma would sometimes be the only thing to make it better. She wished Emma could remember those times.

Emma stroked her fingers through dark locks, letting their hug linger for moments that seemed endless, until they parted naturally.

"Well, would you like to help start on dinner?" Still wanting to maintain the connection, Regina intertwined their fingers together.

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be…"

"For now you can help Henry with setting the table. We'll work up to food later. Maybe. I'm not used to sharing the kitchen."

Emma laughed. "Perhaps that's for the best," she replied as she followed Regina's lead. "My cooking skills consisted purely of buying boxes and reading labels." 

"Better than some."

They arrived at the door to Henry's room a minute or two later. Regina knocked lightly before pushing the door open. "Henry, I'm going to start dinner. Would you like to show Mommy how we set the table?"

Henry bounced up from his doodling. "Sure! C'mon!" He darted out the door and snagged Emma's free hand, pulling her along in his excitement.

It was slightly painful when Emma's hand was ripped from Regina's, and the elder of them teetered in a state of unbalance for a second. "Be gentle!" She admonished, though more for Emma's sake than her own. Henry didn't need to be dragging her around like a ragdoll on her first day out of the hospital.

It was humorous to find Emma staring at the intricate design decorating a single plate when Regina caught up to them in the kitchen. "How can anyone eat from this?" the blonde mused. "It's too pretty!"

"It doesn't stain. No harm will come to it."

Emma sat the plate down, startled at Regina's voice when she hadn't known she was in the room. "I don't know if I keep zoning out and staring at things because it's actually impressive, or because it's impressive to me because of the coma."

"Where should Mommy sit?" Henry spoke up. His and Regina's spots were already set.

Regina walked to the table and put her hands on top of the chair adjacent to her right.

Henry tilted his head. "But that's Mary's spot."

"Not always. She can sit elsewhere." Emma caught note of hardness in her voice that hadn't been there before. It was clear there was something about this Mary, presumably the almost step daughter, that irked the brunette.

Henry shrugged and continued on.

Emma stepped up behind Regina, running her hands along her arms and then lifting them by the wrist from the chair so no harm came to its wooden features. She dropped a kiss to where neck met shoulder, never asking and only soothing. "Focus on dinner," she murmured.

Regina turned to deliver a quick kiss before plastering on that politician's smile. "What should we have for dinner, Henry?"

"Mommy, do you like lausnuh?"

"Translation, please," Emma requested of Regina.

"Lasagna."

"Is that like ravioli?"

Henry snickered.

"That was rude, Henry," Regina scolded. "We don't laugh at Mommy if we want her to stay."

The possibility of Emma not staying sobered Henry's expression immediately. "Sorry, Mommy."

"It's okay, bud." Either that was an interesting parenting tactic or it was a half-hearted admission of an actual fear Regina held. Either way, she wasn't planning on going anywhere. "I'm willing to try it," she told Regina.

"Lasagna it is." Regina began moving about, gathering the ingredients.


	50. Chapter 50

**AN: You guys are the best for sticking out 50 chapters with me. There will be at least 25 more, regardless of whether or not I decide to make a sequel. I intend to catch the characters up to present day, one way or another.**

Emma was amused to find that Regina played the radio while she cooked, and was even more amused at the music the station played.

_"Oh,  
Well imagine,  
As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor,  
And I can't help but to hear,  
No, I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words:  
"What a beautiful wedding! What a beautiful wedding!" says a bridesmaid to a waiter,  
"And, yes, but what a shame, what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore."_

"Oh my God!" cackled Emma. "Regina!"

"Hm?" Regina snapped her head up, having been completely in the song as she tended to the lasagna.

"This language around Henry's ears?"

"Oh, he doesn't know what it means."

"You realize you contradict yourself, right?"

"That sounds about right, yeah."

_"I chime in with a  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality.  
I chime in,  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality again."_

"This _is _catchy," Emma admitted. "Who is it?"

"Panic! At The Disco."

Emma snorted. "Creativity in band names has dwindled, I see."

When the song ended, one completely contrasting it began.

_"I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house  
That don't bother me"_

"Nope!" Regina moved over to the radio and switched the station until she found one with an acceptable song. "Oh! Listen to this one, Emma."

_"I don't quite know  
How to say  
How I feel_

Those three words  
Are said too much  
They're not enough

If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life"

Emma grinned at the lyrics, and making sure she wasn't interrupting anything too dangerous, pulled Regina's back against her chest by the waist, tucking her chin onto her shoulder. "This is beautiful," she murmured into the shell of Regina's ear.

Regina hummed along, letting her hands come to rest over Emma's. The lasagna would be fine; all that was needed was for it to be put in the oven.

It was little more than a gentle sway, but the two began to move in time to the music. Emma imagined it was kin to what school prom was supposed to be. Regina mentally replaced her own with the moment she was currently experiencing. Her nameless date had been awkward and always managed to step on her foot, though all they did was side step at an arm's distance.

The two paused when the song reached its end.

"Let me get this in the oven," Regina's voice was soft, still on cloud nine.

Emma stepped away to a safe distance, looking at the radio like it was Jesus himself.

As Regina was closing the oven door, a new song was beginning.  
_  
"I still hear your voice, when you sleep next to me.  
I still feel your touch in my dream.  
Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why  
Without you it's hard to survive."_

Regina hadn't heard this one before, but it was off to a good start. She stepped over to Emma, arms looping around her neck again just like she had at the conclusion of the tour.

Emma's hands went to her waist once more, pressing them closer.

_"'Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static.  
And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky.  
Can't you hear my heart beat so...  
I can't let you go.  
Want you in my life._

Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky.  
They wipe away tears that I cry.  
The good and the bad times, we've been through them all.  
You make me rise when I fall."

Both grinned at the words. It was a beat more fitting for a rave, but the lyrics were perfectly matching their slow dance-esque movement. The pair closed the distance as the last line of the song played. Emma ran her hands up along Regina's back until she could cup her cheeks, at which Regina allowed the kiss to deepen.

Emma felt elevated, and Regina's heart was soaring. Who was Daniel again? Neal? There was only Emma, Emma, Emma, Regina, Regina, Regina.

Both were slightly breathless when the kiss broke, but they didn't care.

"Wow." But it wasn't the kiss she was commenting on. It was the look of total adoration Regina's features had gained. It made her look younger, and that haunted look her eyes always seemed to have wasn't quite so prominent. It made a goofy smile break out on Emma's face, knowing she did that.

"Wow, indeed," Regina's tone was huskier after the kiss, especially at the low register she was speaking in. Her hands curled around Emma's wrists as she leaned slightly more into her hand.

"It should be illegal for this day to end."

Regina chuckled. "Well dear, as soon as I track The Doctor down, we'll steal that Tardis of his and then it will always be what time we want it to be."

"I don't know, that thing never quite seems to land where he wants it to."

"I wouldn't fail with the safety of the _lovely _companion I have to consider." She turned her head to kiss Emma's palm.

"You are such a dork." Emma wrapped her arms around her, drawing her close and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Good thing dorks seem to be my type. Actually, scratch that. Just one big dork is my type." She patted Regina's side. "You have no say. I'm keeping you."

"It's a good thing I want to be kept." She nuzzled against Emma's neck. Such a good mood she was in, the nerve those last two statements might have stuck was nowhere near the potential barb. Perhaps it was because she'd been Emma's to keep for quite a few years.

"Have I said how very glad I am not to be in the hospital yet?"

"Mm, once or twice."

"Well, thank you for the early bail anyway. It's one of the greatest gifts I've ever received."

"We're on equal footing, then."

"And what's been my greatest gift to you?"

"Henry; you. I was on the verge of being very stupid when I decided a child would be the thing to put me back on track. I wouldn't have made it to 24 otherwise."

Emma tightened her arms around the brunette. "Hush, don't say that." That was not something she could bare to think about.

Regina pressed a gentle kiss to her neck. "If you want to hear about my past, you're going to hear a lot of upsetting things."

"Nothing tops that one." Emma kissed the crown of her head. "Promise me you won't do anything that stupid until you're like 100. Because even then it's too soon."

"Okay. I'll stick around long enough to meet great-great-grandchildren."

"You better." Emma kept her tight hold, determined to protect the petite brunette through the rest of her many, many days. 


	51. Chapter 51

November 14th struck again, just five days after Emma's release from the hospital. Not that the blonde didn't mind not having to be alone in the huge house while Henry was at school and Regina was usually at work, really, getting lost was a common occurrence already, but something felt off about the day. Regina's reluctance to go anywhere was obvious, especially when she offered Henry a day off from school. Crazy kid turned the offer down with the reasoning of not wanting to miss the finger painting planned for the day.

Regina not going to the office wouldn't be such an odd occurrence, Emma couldn't even count all the hours she must have missed over the years while visiting her, if the former hadn't just the Monday prior set herself a new rule of being at the office at least five hours per day. And Regina's rules were basically the ten commandments.

Emma waited about an hour, plenty of time for the mayor to change her mind and go into work, before approaching her to investigate. "Not that I'm complaining, because I'd really rather not accidentally lock myself in a closet again when left to my own devices, but why are you here?" She sat next to her on the couch, where the brunette had apparently been absorbed in an upside down book for most of the previous hour.

Regina sighed, not looking up from the book. "I don't have a strict 9 to 5 schedule."

"I know, you changed it to a flexible noon to 4. Or whatever."

Regina stood, closing and setting the book on the cushion to her right. Showing this day would be better than telling. "Follow me."

Emma did just that, knowing it was safer to just do as was told when Regina was laconic. Up the stairs she was led, really that might as well have been exercise enough for that post discharge plan, in Emma's opinion. The one room she'd yet to be shown was the destination. Master bedroom. Emma's eyebrows raised in question, though she knew the conclusion her mind immediately jumped to was not the purpose of being there. The mood certainly wasn't right.

Regina led Emma to the vanity, where the ever important document of the day was framed and leaning against the mirror, a lit candle inches in front of it.

In large bold script was front and center written

_**Jasmine Emma Mills**_

November 14, 2002 – November 14, 2002

Beneath that on the line reserved for the mother's name was Regina's fancy signature.

The lightbulb went off in Emma's head. The current day served as the fourth anniversary of the loss of Regina's daughter. She pulled Regina into her arms, wrapping them around her protectively as if she could prevent damage already done.

"Even unconscious you were my greatest friend," Regina whispered as she sank into the embrace. "And she was so beautiful," she choked at the end. Though there were no pictures, Jasmine's face would always remain clearly burned in Regina's mind. Even if she managed to one day have another, her first would never be forgotten.

Emma felt tears sting her own eyes. She had no doubt a child with Regina's features would be beautiful. In her mind's eye she saw a girl with long dark hair bouncing with curls and dark eyes to match, pale skin with a splash of tanned undertone as perfectly unmarred as a porcelain doll. Had she the chance to meet her as she met Henry, she would surely be equally as taken and would spoil the girl silly. And then there was that bittersweet stab to the heart that her own name served as her middle name. Even when she was quite incapable of doing anything, it seemed she'd done enough to earn what she considered to be one of the highest honors. "I would have loved meeting her. I would have loved watching her grow up alongside Henry." She pressed a lingering kiss to the top of Regina's head.

A quiet sob escaped Regina at that, and she tightened her arms around the woman who was growing on her more and more each hour. It was a lovely image of what might have been, the two of them with the two little ones. It was unfair that had been stolen from them. Tomorrow would be a better day, she knew, but every November 14 for the rest of her life would be hell.

Emma moved her hands to Regina's cheeks, cupping them gently as she used her thumbs to stroke the tears away. "What can I do, Regina?" Her thumbs continued moving in soothing circles.

Regina closed the space between them to deliver a tender kiss which Emma was quick to return. Kisses had healing properties, it would seem, because a few drawn out moments later they weren't quite as sad.

Their fingers laced together as they left the room. Midway down the stairs, Emma's stomach rumbled, causing Regina to laugh. It was one of the most beautiful sounds one could hear.

"I think your stomach is trying to tell me something."

"Yup, that's it's feed me, Seymour growl."

"A Little Shop of Horrors fan? What a rare creature you are, indeed."

"Who wouldn't like an oversized Venus Flytrap that talks and eats people?"

"Many people, my dear." Regina chuckled. She'd never figure the pattern that was Emma Swan out. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she took them to the kitchen. "Any requests?"

"Everything you make is amazing."

Regina smiled. "Thank you. That wasn't an answer, though."

"I'm coming on a blank for food…but I've got a drink in mind you may not have had before."

"What's that?"

"Hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon."

Regina pulled a face.

"Ah ah. Don't knock it 'til you try it. I know, it sounds weird. It's not a combination I would have thought of on my own. But when I was little and staying with one of my foster families, I was allowed hot chocolate before bed. I decided to make it myself because I was too impatient to wait for my foster mother to get out of the bathroom and my foster father was at work. I was putting the can of powder back in the cabinet but I was short and had to stand on a chair. I knocked the cinnamon over and what didn't fall onto the counter went into the cup. I always had my hot chocolate with cinnamon after that."

It was an adorable mental image within Regina's mind. "Alright, I think I have everything for that." It was a fair trade. Emma had never had lasagna before the coma, and she ended up loving it. Regina could at least try the quirky concoction.


	52. Chapter 52

**AN: Twist of all twists.**

"Reginaaaaaaaa!" Moulin Rouge was about halfway through the ending credits, and Emma was being assaulted with more feelings than she knew how to deal with.

"I told you!"

Emma grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a bit. "You didn't tell me enough!"

"You wouldn't watch it if I told you how it ended…and it says what happens at the beginning! I didn't force you to watch all three hours."

"But…but…Satiiiiiiiiine!"

"You are being very over dramatic."

"It's not acceptableeeeee!" Emma straddled Regina's stomach. "Now you shall pay!" With little warning, Emma's fingers were suddenly everywhere, tickling Regina's arms, neck, ears, everything she could reach and she had the advantage of her weight pinning the brunette down to the couch.

Regina cackled, her attempts to slap Emma's hands away failing epically. "Stop!"

"Never!"

There was no telling how much time had passed as Regina was getting relentlessly tickle tortured.

"Emma…can't…breathe…"

Since Regina's face was red enough to accompany that claim, Emma stopped so she could catch her breath.

A moment or two passed before Regina suddenly surged up, knocking Emma onto her back on the couch, and the tables had turned. Regina was wise enough to pin Emma's arms as well. "Payback's a bitch, huh?" She tickled everywhere she could reach, just as Emma had with her.

Emma fought, twisting and turning, kicking her legs, trying to move her arms but to no avail. There would be no stopping the attack until Regina decided to have mercy. It got to the point where it was hard to laugh, and Emma was sure her face was as red as Regina's had been, though the brunette still didn't stop. Emma was well and truly exhausted when Regina finally eased up.

She pressed a kiss to Emma's now sweaty forehead. "Remember dear, what you give, I return in threefold." She slid back to her side of the couch.

"Damn, woman," Emma panted. "You have a very sneaky way of making sure I get exercise."

"Gotta make it fun," Regina quipped with a wink.

It was a Tuesday, the 21st of November. It was the last day before Henry's Thanksgiving break, which meant it was their last day to be alone together until the five days of his break were over.

"Besides, I was thinking come December, you can get started as my secretary."

Emma managed to find the strength to sit up. "Already?"

Regina rose an eyebrow. "You're bored when I'm working."

"I know, I've just never had a job before…I thought maybe we could wait until the new year."

"You'd really make me stay in such close proximity to a man who has a crush on me for that long?" Regina batted her eyelashes at her to go along with the pleading tone she'd adopted.

"Don't do that to me," Emma groaned. "That's not fair."

"He thinks he's earned my favor since I'm allowing him both jobs."

"He's an idiot," Emma scoffed.

"That he is. And idiots do not belong in my office."

"What if I can't do it? It's a lot of pressure, what if I can't handle it? It was nearly driving _you _crazy for the short time you did it."

"I'll help you." Regina gave her a kiss. "But if you're that worried I suppose I can wait 'til the new year."

"Thank you." Emma crawled into her lap and nuzzled her nose against her neck.

"I was thinking we could take a trip to Portland for the weekend. You can't keep wearing the same clothes every day, and Storybrooke doesn't have much to offer. It would be nice for Henry to see a bigger city, as well. I hardly imagine he'll want to stay here his whole life."

"I'm up for seeing a new city. How far is it?"

"About a three or four hour drive, depending on traffic."

Emma let out a whistle. "Road trip."

"That was the idea, yes."

"Think the kid's bladder can hold it that long?"

"There are rest stops if necessary, or stores that have restrooms. It's not a camping trip."

"That would be a fun thing to do at some point."

"Over my dead body."

"Why not?"

"I would die. I can't put up a tent to save my life, I can't make a fire by friction, and I'd likely get mauled by a bear."

"What the hell has your mother filled your head with? At least tell me you've had s'mores."

"Had what?"

Emma's jaw dropped open and she looked up at Regina's face with pity. "That will change. You don't need to go camping for them, they're just as good on they're own. You just need graham crackers, large marshmallows, and a chocolate bar. And about thirty seconds in a microwave."

"How –"

"Shush." Emma put a finger to her lips. "What have you learned about judging before trying?"

"Not to."

"Good girl." Emma kissed her. "I seriously can't believe you haven't had any. Were you withheld from going to Disneyland or Disneyworld, too? I know I was but I was always being bounced from family to family, the nice ones would assume I'd already gone and I didn't bother correcting them. They wouldn't have the money to go, anyway."

"It is expensive…"

"Does that mean you've never gone?"

"Never gone."

"Ugh!" Emma flopped down onto her back on the couch, keeping her legs on Regina's lap. "I'm warning you now, if the day ever comes that I meet your mother, I am slapping her in the face."

"You will do no such thing!"

Emma looked up at her. "Yeah, I will. She deprived you of everything, pushed you into a career path you never wanted, and she scares the shit out of you and you're a grown woman. So yeah, she'll get slapped for being a shitty mother. I've lived with plenty, I recognize the signs."

"She is Senator of Maine. She will destroy you."

"Not for long, remember? You told me her term is coming to an end."

"Former Senators still have enough reputation to lock someone away if they desire it. She could easily claim assault and get you sent to jail."

"Are you listening to yourself?" Emma sat up again. "You are putting her on a pedestal of power and victimizing anyone strong enough to go against her. She may have shaped you to be her victim as you grew up, but that's not me. If you won't stand up for yourself I'll stand up for you."

"You haven't met her, and you underestimate her power. She could take Henry away from us! She's already tried taking him from me."

Emma's eyes narrowed and her voice dropped to a dangerous register, "What?"

Regina pushed Emma's legs off of her lap and stood up. "If she can force me into an engagement I had no interest in, she can do anything," she snapped bitterly.

Emma jumped up to her feet as well. "What?" Her tone had softened considerably, but it was still incredulous.

Regina turned to face her. "Mary's father. Dead fiancé number two."

Emma's mouth opened and closed a few times before she could form the words she needed, "Regina…please tell me that…that that wasn't Jasmine's father."

Regina closed her eyes against the painful truth coming from Emma. Her face crumpled as she answered, "Yes."

"God, what the _fuck _is wrong with her?!" Emma ran both hands through her own hair as she let out an aggravated breath. That was all kinds of illegal. But then again, Senator vs. Mayor, put that way it did make Regina's mother sound invincible. Her eyes chose then to zero onto something she scolded herself for only just noticing. Her hands went out and gently captured Regina's face. She tugged forward slightly so she could get a better look. Her thumb ran along the scar that cut through the left side of Regina's upper lip. Rage surged through her body at the feel of it. "Did she do this to you?"

Regina clamped her lips shut, not wanting to answer.

"Regina! Did she give you this scar?"

It took some willpower not to answer with the lie that had been drilled into her head since the very day she got it. She turned her head violently to the side to make Emma's hands drop as she spat the answer, "Yes."

That woman better hope she never crossed paths with Emma, because the blonde couldn't guarantee she'd walk away from that meeting. Fucking abusive bitch. "Regina…"

Regina's eyes snapped open, tears blurring her vision, not used to and angry at being so exposed.

Emma took in a breath and let it out, now seeing the consequences of being so vocal with her anger at Regina's mother, of forcing details of the past out before they were ready to be out. Time to put them on equal footing. "Me too." She turned so her back was to Regina and pulled her shirt off, hearing a gasp when her back was revealed. Angry lines of red and white criss-crossed along pale skin in a permanent corset. "I was ten when I got these. Whenever I was put in my place, well the one preferred knives and the other preferred whips." Her voice choked at the next bit of information she supplied, "No one was spared. There were kids as young as five in that house."

Regina's blood boiled and heart ached all at once. Not only did they hurt Emma but they were hurting children Henry's age. "Tell me their names."

"You're way out of jurisdiction." Emma put her shirt back on.

"I don't care!" Regina took her arm and gently turned her back around. "Give me their names! I will contact the FBI. They need to be put away and there could be more kids suffering at their hands."

"Yeah, right. FBI won't do shit without being invited by the city. You don't think I tried telling? 'Cause I did. I already had the reputation of a troubled child so I used it to my advantage to get the hell out. Child Services wouldn't do anything for me, and no one else was brave enough to tell. There's nothing you can do, it's in the past."

"Where the hell did they think the scars came from?"

"The previous foster home. After a while they don't go by the book and just start making assumptions."

"You didn't have me then. They will look into it if I tell them to."

"Halfway across the country? I don't think so. You don't need to get all wrapped up in this, it's a cold case by now. Leave it that way. I only showed you because I was asking questions you weren't ready to answer, but answered anyway. Not for you to go charging in head first to something you know nothing about that would tangle all sorts of knots into your career. Let it go. I have."

"I will lose sleep over this, Emma. I can't do shit about my mother, she's better at the manipulation game than I am, but this is something I _can _do. At least give me their names so I can see if with any mercy they pop up in obituaries."

"Yeah and then when they don't you're going to get caught in this whole spider web. You promised me the past would stay in the past and don't you dare tell me that was before you knew the details, because I'm not judging you for yours regardless of the details. I'm not telling you to throw your mother in jail, though that's where I truly think she belongs, so don't push me on this."

"There's more to this than you're letting on."

"It's called it's too dangerous to risk your involvement in. That would be risking your life."

"That's a bit over dr-"

"No! It's not. They are _killers _who know how to hide it. The scars…once a certain number was hit you were done for. Unless the pattern fell to be sent away. They were too clever to keep them closely spaced. No, when one would die, the would send the one away at random playing the role of being too consumed by grief of whatever fake reason for disappearance they conjured up to take care of whatever, in my case it was too exhausting to keep up with such a troubled child in times of grief. Who knows what shit they made up for others they let go. But I was two lashes away from being the next victim. So I say fuck no to your involvement in any of this. I'd rather you not die."

Regina was shocked into silence. Well, Emma won worst past indefinitely after that. And she said _Regina _was the one put together. Here Emma was stepping straight from a Criminal Minds episode. And that was when she was only ten.

"Stop looking at me as if this changes anything. I'm still me."

Still unable to speak, Regina pulled Emma into her arms. It may not change Emma, but damn it if Regina were going to sit by with that knowledge and do nothing. She certainly had a job for Sidney before Emma took over. She would get those names. She would make contact with the proper authorities. She would do it anonymously. Everybody wins. 


	53. Chapter 53

The weekend trip to Portland was an experience, complete with the childlike repetition of 'Are we there yet?'. From Emma as well. It was endearing for the first half hour or so. The only thing stopping Regina from swerving as she drove to show her annoyance was the reason Emma had gone into a coma in the first place. She wasn't that cruel. Though she did frequently slap at Emma's hands when she tried to change the station of the car radio. Regina would very well listen to what she pleased. That however only prompted more frequent repetition of the increasingly annoying question.

"I have an idea! Let's play the quiet game. Rules are whoever speaks after I'm done talking gets to walk the rest of the way to Portland all by themselves. We start now."

It was comical how very matching the expressions of Emma and Henry's faces were. They were both a mix of fear and 'you wouldn't dare' mentality. Neither tested or called Regina's bluff, and Regina didn't call an end to the game until there was a half hour filled with silence save for the radio.

"Ah. So you two do have the ability to stop talking after all. We will get there when we get there. If you stop asking, you don't have to be quiet anymore. Agreed?"

"Yes, Mama," answered Henry from the back seat.

"Yes, Mama," Emma echoed with a devilish smirk.

Regina swatted at her shoulder.

"Geez, stop hitting me, woman! Eyes on the road and hands on the wheel."

"Stop being distracting and you have nothing to worry about."

"I have to pee!" Henry announced fifteen minutes later.

A small store was within Regina's line of vision, much like the kind that accompanied gas stations only there was no gas station. "We'll see if there's one here in the store coming up." She made the turn off the road when they were close enough, pulling into the parking lot. "I'll take him in," she announced as she cut the engine. "You stay here and guard the car."

"But I've been sitting forever."

"Then walk around it in circles or something. I refuse to leave it unattended."

"Mama!"

"Fine, fine," Emma relented.

Both women got out, Regina taking her keys and locking the doors with the press of a button once she had the back door open. She helped Henry out of his car seat and once he was out shut both his and her door shut. With a firm look to Emma, she took Henry's hand and left her alone with the car.

It was a quant little thing, full of junk food and sodas. Regina walked Henry to an open register. "We've been in the car a while and my son has to use the bathroom. Do you have one here?"

"We do but you'll have to buy something," the man behind the counter answered. "Customer use only."

Well, Regina was planning on spending money anyway. She could spare a few dollars in order to ensure Henry didn't soil his clothing. Through the glass of the counter, different kinds of scratch lottery tickets were on display. It was the first thing she saw and Henry's grip on her hand was rather crushing. "I'll take a couple of those, then." She pointed through the glass at one that had a spiral design on what was meant to be the shell of a snail.

The man nodded and started to pull them from the roll. "Bathroom is down that hall right there, men's to the right."

"Go on, Henry. I'll be right here." Regina gave Henry a gentle push toward the indicated hall.

The push was all Henry needed to send him sprinting to the bathroom.

"That'll be $4.00." The two tickets were placed on the counter.

Regina pulled a five dollar bill from the wallet within her purse.

The man made the transition quickly, and Regina added her dollar change to her wallet, along with the tickets to her purse.

Regina moved closer to the hallway to wait for Henry so she wasn't unnecessarily taking up the register. She was watching the door that was to the right, so the tap to her side made her jump. She was confused to see that it was Henry. "Where did you…?" She looked toward the door on the left to see it coming to a close and couldn't stop the laugh from escaping her lips. "That was the girl's bathroom, sweetie."

"That's why it was pink!"

Regina quirked an eyebrow, having expected him to be more embarrassed than seemingly pleased to have an answer to a question. "Next time use the one that doesn't have a triangle." She took his hand once more and led him back to the car. She was thankful there hadn't been any occupants, that would be a scene she didn't particularly care to deal with.

Regina tilted her head at the sight that greeted her. Emma sitting criss-crossed on the roof of her car. "Emma dear, what are you doing?"

"You told me to guard it so I channeled my inner gargoyle."

She was dealing with two children, it seemed. "Do get down before you hurt yourself."

Emma put her hand out.

"Really?"

"Really."

Regina shook her head but took her hand, guiding Emma back down to the ground.

Once they were all back in the car but before Regina started driving again, she removed her new purchase from her purse, along with a loose coin she'd found. "Here." She handed them over to Emma. "Have at it."

"You bought scratch tickets?"

"I had to buy something for him to be able to use the bathroom. They were literally right under my nose. Just as good as anything."

"You realize if these win anything it's mine since you're giving them to me?"

"I've got plenty of money, Emma. You can do what you like with whatever you may win on those things."

"Each of these have five hundred bucks as the top prize."

"So that's a chance for you to be a grand richer. I really don't care." She started the car up. "It's something to do. If I were here alone with Henry I wouldn't even scratch them."

"You're crazy." Emma brought her knee up to use as a makeshift table.

"Says the woman who was pretending to be a gargoyle on top of my Mercedes."

"Touché." Emma used the coin and started scratching away.


	54. Chapter 54

"Regina, I can't wear this. I never have entire outfits worth four figures, let alone a single piece."

"Ignore the tags, the tags aren't there. If you like it it's yours."

Emma sighed. This treatment was nowhere near what she was used to.

"I understand people may have failed to provide for you for most of your life, and that just makes you deserving of nice things even more. Don't worry about the money."

Emma snorted. "Why is it that people with money are the only ones who say that?"

"Emma. You're worth it. This isn't Saks, anyway. I simply find Goodwill below your needs. So take what you like and let me spoil you a bit."

Emma knew a lost battle when she saw one. There would be no use in further complaint. "Fine. But when I start working, I don't need the special treatment. Whatever I have will come from my own paycheck."

Regina nodded her agreement. She knew that paycheck would be a fair distance above minimum wage; items of quality would well fit into the budget.

Emma mentally gave herself restrictions. No more than twenty clothing items, no more than three pairs of shoes. Still likely to be expensive, but she'd rather not exceed a hundred grand on something as petty as clothing. Variety was needed, she understood, but she didn't need her own walk in closet. She could live out of a single suitcase if she wanted to, and in fact had on more than one occasion.

Regina decided to keep quiet when Emma picked something designer or designer knockoff out. She had a feeling the blonde would drop anything designer like a hot potato if she recognized it for what it was.

Emma just about fainted when she heard the total come out to $58,000 give a few dollars. She felt like some cheap rich girl from 90210, even if she intended to wear everything purchased more than once. It took some physical restraint on her part not to turn the bags upside down, dump out the contents, return them to where she got them and leave.

It was amazing to Emma how Regina's expression remained as bland as it would be at a dollar store. It was probably cheaper than a single article of clothing in Regina's wardrobe, Emma mused. She could almost smell the money oozing off of her with all the outfits she'd seen her in thus far, and she literally could when she caught the scent of Coco Chanel No. 5 the brunette sometimes chose to wear. For someone who hadn't wanted the life she ended up with, she seemed to know how to make it work anyway.

"There. See, that wasn't too bad. Now I no longer have to wash the same outfit every day."

Emma shook her head. "Okay, great. Please tell me whatever hotel you arranged for us to stay in is no more than three stars."

"Relax, dear. The goal of this weekend isn't to spend the most money possible, it was to get some clothes and let you see a bit more of the state. Give the three of us time together without work or school to get in the way. The fact we can do so comfortably is a bonus."

Emma internally scolded herself. Regina had never used status against her, and now Emma was feeling the slightest bit like a bully. It was the time that mattered and she was being hooked on the money. How shallow was that? "I'm sorry for being slow to latch onto the important part."

"It's okay."

Emma checked to make sure the words matched the expression and was relieved to find they did. She knew pushing buttons the wrong way could cause unintentional damage. She pressed a kiss to Regina's cheek.

Not too much later they got to where they'd parked. Regina popped the trunk and Emma placed the bags inside before shutting it firmly once more. She let Regina handle the battle of the seatbelt with Henry's booster seat and they were soon on their way to the hotel.

It was dark when they arrived, but time was still decent. It was only Friday night and one of the main purposes of the trip had been served. Nothing else was planned until their return on Sunday, giving them the free reign to play by ear. However, it was after a certain young man's bed time, so it would be straight to bed for him after they ate.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Emma groaned upon seeing the room number. 237. "We're in a hotel with the number 237. In winter."

"Point?"

"The Shining? Stephen King. Movie starring Jack Nicholson."

"Never seen it."

"You've never… You need to be educated. No wonder you don't know how creepy this is. Just try your best not to go crazy and kill me, yeah?"

Regina laughed. "I'm pretty sure I can manage that." That did remind her that she needed to check Sidney's progress. Just not that weekend. Maybe. If he called, she'd answer. She wouldn't seek him out, though. She couldn't. Emma wasn't meant to know and Regina had promised no work related interruptions. The dingbat was too dense to realize the Emma whose past he was looking into was a citizen of Storybrooke itself. At least he was when she gave him the assignment.

It would be extremely helpful if he were to remain in ignorance. When the time came to kick him out, she could tell him that it was not only because she wanted his full attention on the assignment, but that she had found Emma and would make the hiring of her look like it was in order to gain information. He wouldn't question it that way. It was rather brilliant, if Regina did say so herself. Even the likes of her mother would be proud.

Once inside the room Emma noted an interesting predicament. There were only two beds. Though the room was certainly big enough to hold one, there was no couch. Who would be sharing? Or would someone be expected to sleep on the floor? "So, who's bunking with Henry?" It was a safe enough assumption.

"I thought he could have his own bed."

"Okay…is someone sleeping on the floor, then?"

"Of course not. We'll share."

Emma's heart rate picked up. "But we don't at home."

"We're not home. Besides, it's nothing we haven't done before."

"That was at the hospital. This is a little different."

Finally, Regina caught on. "Really, Emma," she spoke with a quieter voice. "You think we'd be able to get away with anything higher than a G rating with our son only a few feet away?"

Emma colored. "That's not what I was thinking!"

"Sure it was. This is a hotel, we're a couple… Only natural. But no, dear, not with our son present and certainly not in a hotel."

Emma cleared her throat, desperate for the blush to fade. "Food. That's what needs to be happening now. Kid's probably hungry."

Regina smirked as he made her way to the mini fridge that was pre-stocked. Apparently, she thought with amusement, he's not the only one.


	55. Chapter 55

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, kiddo." Emma ruffled Henry's hair. "Sleep well."

"Wait," Henry requested. "Tell me a story."

"A story?" Oral reports hadn't exactly been her forte. "How about there was once a little boy who had to go to bed but didn't want to."

"Emma."

"Hold on. The little boy requested a story, a most excellent stalling tactic. Problem was his mommy didn't have a story to tell." The blonde moved behind Regina and pushed her forward a bit. "But his mama had plenty." She patted Regina's shoulder and stepped back. "Do your thing."

Regina chuckled. How very sneaky. Two could play at that game. "Well." She settled on the bed once more opposite her tucked in son. "Mama thinks Mommy should have story time before a certain little boy doesn't want to hear stories anymore. Who does Henry want to hear from?"

"Both!"

Regina smirked her victory, grabbing Emma and pulling her in. "You heard the prince. Now, why don't you help her out, Henry, tell her your favorite story."

"The Queen's Curse!"

"I'm lost."

Henry grinned at the game, casting his blonde mother in the story immediately. "Because you're cursed!"

"Huh?"

Regina nudged Emma's shoulder. "Just go with it," she murmured. "So who's Mommy for real?"

"The princess!"

"Which one?"

"The White Princess!"

Not quite what Regina had been expecting. How clever of him. "Are you positive?"

Henry nodded enthusiastically.

"How did the Evil Queen come to meet the White Princess?"

"To get back at Snow. Because the curse is breaking."

Emma was trying to understand the theatrics she was finding herself suddenly thrown into. She was getting the gist of fairytales. "So I'm the White Princess…who're you, kid?"

"I'm Prince Henry!"

"Right… Who is?"

"The Evil Queen's son," Regina answered.

"The Evil Queen has a son?"

"Snow called her that," Henry informed. "Everyone else copied. But she's not evil."

"Snow…" Emma wrinkled her nose. "Snow White's my mom?"

"Yup! And my grandma."

"But I thought the Evil Queen…?"

"Is my mom, too."

"So how do I get back at Snow?" Regina asked.

"True Love breaks the curse…but holds it together too."

Regina's eyebrow went up. He was throwing in more twists than the book itself.

Emma got it and a smirk crossed her features. "Whose True Love?"

"Yours!" Henry beamed. "And happy ever after. Night." He threw the covers up over his head.

"Well we officially have the most adorable kid in the world," Emma stated before kissing away Regina's stunned expression. She rose to her feet and pulled the brunette up with her. "Let's get to bed, my queen." She crawled onto the second bed and kicked off her shoes, sprawling out on top of the covers.

Regina joined her, not even bothering to change into a nightgown. Emma clearly had no intentions of changing, and Regina would feel underdressed if she was the only one doing it.

"Did you tell him the same stories you told me?"

"Hm?" It took a moment for the question to register. "Oh, yes." She let her head come to rest against Emma's chest.

Emma smiled, wrapping her arms around her. "Any particular reason why you identify with the evil queen?"

"Being in politics isn't reason enough?"

"Snow White and Prince Charming are in politics."

"She went through hell and no one really cared, we've both got terrible mothers, both lost loved ones, both pushed onto unwanted paths. I'm pretty sure that's actually a history book and she's one of my past lives."

Emma pressed a kiss to her temple. "Well if she is, she's got some good in her life now, wouldn't you say?"

Regina lifted her head and kissed her firmly. She didn't know how she'd managed to live 24 years of her life without Emma, and then another 5 waiting on her to wake up. "I can't imagine not knowing you," she murmured against her lips.

Emma tightened her arms around her, stroking a hand along her back. She could say the same. The past near four months had been the best of her life. She continued kissing the amazing woman she somehow had gained the right to call her own. "How do I deserve you?"

Regina cupped the other woman's cheeks, pressing their foreheads together. "The opposite is impossible."

It was all a bit overwhelming to be so wanted after being thrown away so many times. It wasn't even a matter of comparing to her abandoning parents, but to those that followed. Everyone that had taken her in had always made it clear she was not their responsibility. To have someone take on that responsibility, to practically beg for it, well she wasn't used to any sort of permanence. If that crash hadn't occurred, Emma realized she didn't know what her answer to Neal's proposal would be. She knew he wanted her, and she equally wanted him, but that marriage certificate might have turned into one more legal document promising companionship and failing to deliver. Regina had been taking care of her for five years without her even knowing it, and she still was.

"Emma." Regina gently wiped cheeks the aforementioned hadn't known were wet until that moment. The blonde found herself being cradled in a loving embrace. "I'm sorry if I did something to hurt you, or if I'm caring too much."

Emma shook her head against her shoulder. "No such thing," she whispered.

Regina stroked her fingers through her hair. "I don't want to push you faster than you're ready. I don't want history to repeat for either of us."

"It won't." Emma pressed a kiss to her neck. "You could never make my life worse, you've only made it better."

"Why are you crying?"

"Things are good…and nothing's missing. This is –" A fresh wave of tears assaulted her. "This is what happiness feels like."

Regina rubbed her hand along her back, tears stinging her own eyes. It was heartbreaking at the same time it was heartwarming. Emma hadn't been happy, even with Henry's father. Until now. Regina wished she could travel the same wavelength, but she knew she couldn't truly do so while knowing such a violent part of Emma's past was still out there, possibly still ruining lives of those with no defenses. She wouldn't be truly satisfied until she got word those bastards were either dead or imprisoned. "I'm so glad you finally know the feeling."

Emma kissed her passionately, doing her best to thrust that feeling of happiness Regina's way. It was lasting, she knew, and that was exactly what Regina needed. She'd told her it never lasted, which triggered self destruction. Emma never wanted to watch Regina turn against herself and fall apart. She wouldn't let her. So she was doing her best to make the light in her life eternal, the poor thing had suffered in darkness for far too long.

They stayed curled in each other's arms, each kiss becoming more languid and less coordinated until they fell asleep wrapped in the cocoon of their ever blossoming romance.


	56. Chapter 56

"Park!" And off he went.

"I guess we're going to the park." Regina chuckled with amusement. "Damn, he got fast." She started jogging to catch up.

Emma followed, eyes going wide when Henry looked about ready to run off the sidewalk into the street. "Henry!"

Mercifully, the young boy stopped a scarce few inches from the street at the sidewalk's end.

Regina's hands pulled him back to a safer distance when she reached him. She foolishly hadn't even noticed there was a break in the sidewalk until Emma called out. "Henry, what have I told you about running?"

"To stay where I can see you?" Henry answered with a confused lilt at the end, unsure as to what he'd done wrong.

Now it was Regina's time to think. Had she never told him the dangers of cars? Then again, most days she was Henry's ride to school. Easier to forget that way. She took his left hand in her own, practically engulfing it.

"Look both ways next time." Emma mirrored Regina's action with Henry's right hand. "Only go when the streets are clear or if none of the cars are moving. Like now." The light had turned red and the cars were sitting in idle.

Together they walked Henry across the street to the next sidewalk that put them on the same block of land as the park.

"Okay." Regina kissed the top of Henry's head and let go of his hand once they were only a few feet away from the playground. "Go play."

Emma let go of his hand and watched as he darted off to what led to the slide.

"Thank you." Regina took Emma's previously occupied hand. "We're lucky you saw that."

Emma squeezed her hand gently. Before she could respond she heard,

"Fucking dykes." It was badly covered with a cough.

Emma whirled in the direction of the voice. "Excuse you?"

It was a regular little Eminem. Red hat with the bill facing sideways, tank top with large holes for the arms, sagging jeans and more gold jewelry than Emma was used to seeing in a single place. "You heard me, bitch. Or should I say butch?" His entourage of two laughed with him.

Emma seized the presumably teenaged boy by what little sleeves there were of his tank top, jerking him closer so they were nose to nose. Or rather, nose to chin. She was taller than him. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"You do, apparently. You've got one hell of a MILF over there." He shot Regina such a lewd look Emma shook it off his face.

"Listen to me you little punk. One more smug disrespectful remark out of you, I will personally make sure you are incapable of having children," her voice was nothing more than a growl.

The boy was unfazed by the threat. "Oh, you mean like you two? Who did you steal that boy from, huh? He certainly didn't come from your sweet mixed juices."

That was it. Emma jerked her knee right up into his crotch, releasing him to let him fall into the pathetic pile of shit he was. His two buddies were slack-jawed in their shock.

"You think that was bad?" The previously dormant Regina asked in a tone that could only be described as pure evil. "I'm wearing heels."

The two bolted, leaving their homophobic friend alone to cradle his manhood in pain on the earth floor.

To add insult to injury, Regina intentionally stepped on his hand with her heel as they continued on their way.

"Do you believe that shit?" Emma flopped her arms in a pathetic attempt to gesture what just happened. "Fucking Christ." She shook her head furiously. She wasn't done yet, though. On impulse she stepped onto the seat of the picnic table she'd set her sights on, then stepped up onto the table itself. "Excuse me!" she rose her voice loud enough that all occupants of the park could hear.

Regina's eyes went wide. "Emma, get down!"

Emma continued on. "Yeah, I'm talking to all of you."

"Emma, Henry is here," Regina hissed in another vain attempt to get her to stop.

"I would just like to give you all the opportunity to leave if you have a problem with myself and my girlfriend's presence here with our son. I'm not in the mood to take any more of anyone's shit! We're not leaving so you can either deal with it or remove yourself from the situation. Either way, we would appreciate it if you had the decency to make your decision like a fucking adult. Thank you."

With that, Emma stepped back down to ground level and sat on the seat.

"Emma Swan!" Regina took a seat across from her.

"I refuse to be bullied," Emma stated unapologetically.

"Clearly…" Regina couldn't help but look her up and down over and over again. She cleared her throat. "That would never happen in Storybrooke."

"No shit, people are scared of you."

"Not quite to what I was referring, dear."

"What?" Emma asked with a shrug of her shoulders.

"You made a spectacle of yourself."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I get testy when people try to strip me of my dignity, and I get absolutely livid when they try to strip the dignity of those I care about. It's called defending honor." Her face softened while growing more serious at the same time. "Tell me, Regina, what would you have done? You would have just kept walking right on by, wouldn't you? Let them get away with it?"

"I've heard worse."

"Hello! Were you there? They insulted Henry. If we were at home and someone insulted him there, you would have their head on a platter, wouldn't you?"

Regina sighed, deflating. Storybrooke was her territory. This, this was not. Here, the park specifically, she was that little girl once again who never got to play because of her alleged clumsiness. An outsider. "Well we're here, not there. It's over and done, so drop it. I'd like to enjoy the rest of our weekend."

Emma took her hand, watching Henry make his way across the set of monkey bars. "Okay, just…" She gathered her words carefully. "Just know you have the right to stand up for yourself, for anyone, no matter where you are." She leaned across the table and kissed her, not caring what any onlookers would think. They had just as much rights to public displays of affection as anyone else.

Regina squeezed her hand as she gave herself to the kiss. In her head, the words spoken served an entirely different purpose. They eased the guilt she was harboring for researching further into Emma's past after being specifically told not to. Of course, she wouldn't say what she was doing. What Emma had said, though, only confirmed that if Regina ever did decide to tell, that Emma would understand, because what Regina was doing was only within her rights. So was Regina's interpretation.

Monday was getting closer. By then, Sidney would hopefully have those names. Then all it would take would be a few quick phone calls and then it would be over. She would be able to rest easy again.


	57. Chapter 57

Regina slammed on the breaks.

Thank God for seatbelts, otherwise Emma would have smacked into the dashboard. Her head snapped in Regina's direction. "What the hell was that?!" She shook her head and looked to the backseat. "You okay, Hen?" She reached back with one hand and stroked his cheek gently.

Though his eyes were wide, he nodded, a bit shaken but otherwise alright.

They were only a scarce few feet from Regina's property. The brunette was out of the car before the other two knew what was going on. She was seething as she glared up at her previously pearly white house.

Graffiti had never been a problem in Storybrooke before. When Emma faced the front again, she saw the reason for Regina's outburst. In large red spraypainted letters were two words, just twelve letters.

_LESBIAN WHORE_

Regina shook her head and turned around. She was not going in there, no way. Time to make use of the Bed and Breakfast. She got back into the car, slamming the door. "I'm not sleeping here tonight," she grumbled. She reversed with more speed than necessary.

"Regina, be careful!"

But still, Regina burned rubber as she peeled into a u-turn. Emma caught sight of the speedometer. 70mph.

"Stop it," she pleaded. "Slow down."

It went down to 50, which was still nearly double the speed limit, as the Bed and Breakfast loomed ever closer. With those speeds, it took less than five minutes to get there. Once parked, Regina stormed into the building, no explanations.

"Room for three," she demanded.

Emma helped Henry out of the car, then made sure it was locked.

"Why are we here?" Henry asked.

"I think we're staying here tonight, Hen. Just go with it." She held onto his hand as she led him inside. Both were quiet, standing behind Regina, moving when she did. "How about you go draw something for a while?" Emma suggested to Henry once they were all inside the hotel room. There was a notepad on the coffee table and a couple different colored pens.

Henry nodded and set to do what he was told.

Emma watched Regina, but made no move to approach or talk to her. She was giving off the same aura caged animals did. Only when the brunette picked up a paperweight and launched it at the wall did Emma break that resolve. "Woah, hey!" She pulled her back, turning them both away from the explosion of shattering glass. She rubbed circles along her lower back.

All the anger used up, the only thing left over was pain. Combined with that scene in the Portland park just the day before, it hit a nerve. Why couldn't people just leave her be? Regina clung to Emma as the first sob escaped.

"We'll paint over it," Emma murmured.

That led to an even harder sob. "Like every other bad thing in my life…"

"Oh, Regina," Emma breathed. She kissed the top of her head, drawing her further into her arms. "You know you're not a whore, right? You never could be."

"I want to know who could do this." Regina swallowed the ever growing lump in her throat, but she could do nothing to ease the moisture leaking from her eyes. "The only one…" Suddenly the anger was back. She wrenched herself from Emma's arms. "Mary! That ungrateful, undeserving little brat! She did that! Of fucking course she still puts her father on that damn pedestal, apparently one immune to the truth. On second thought… we don't need to stay here tonight. I need to go back and get rid of all her stupid shit."

"Regina!" Emma stopped her before she reached the door, pulling her back. "It's almost time for Henry to go to bed, he has school tomorrow. Besides, what if it wasn't her?"

"And who else would it be? Who?"

"I wouldn't put it below Whale," Emma suggested.

"Whale?" Regina repeated incredulously. It was so ridiculous she nearly laughed. "Whale? No, as much of a total sleazeball as he is, he values his job far too much to be that damn stupid. Besides, the writing was far too neat to resemble anything near his chicken scratch." She shook her head. "No, it had to be Mary. Outside of certain hospital workers, she's the only one who knows."

"Okay, so maybe she did, but making any decisions while you're pissed off and hurt probably won't yield positive results. I don't want you to do anything you regret, okay? At least not today. Sleep on it. Kick her out tomorrow if you still feel like it."

Regina sighed. "Okay." She nodded. "Okay," she repeated a little more firmly. She wiped the lingering tears from her face. "I need to stop falling apart on you."

"It's alright. Bottling things up doesn't help anything. I'm here for you, you can fall apart all you need. Now we need to get this glass cleaned up before Henry falls on it and cuts himself."

Regina bit her lip. She really needed to get a handle on her anger and stop breaking things. She couldn't even remember when that had started. Was this the first time? She didn't know. She helped Emma clean it up, making a mental note to replace the paperweight she'd demolished.

When they got Henry ready for bed, he gave Regina an extra long hug. "Don't be sad, Mama."

Regina smiled. "You're such a sweet boy." She kissed his cheek. "I'm alright."

When it was Emma's turn she told him, "Mommy's here to take very good care of you and Mama. Don't you worry. It will be time for school before you know it." She kissed his forehead. "Get some rest."

Yet again, Emma and Regina shared a bed when they turned in for the night. "If the can was abandoned nearby, maybe the Sherriff's department can look it over for prints," Emma suggested. "Because if it's not Mary, they can't be left to get away with it. They could be tagging other homes and buildings. It sounds like it was personal if it was Mary, maybe if it was someone else it wasn't all that personal."

"Hmm…I suppose that couldn't hurt, but I'm not sure what the chances are of finding the can lying around. This town may be filled with idiots, but they can't all be quite so mentally challenged as to commit a traceable crime. I think even Mary knows better than that."

"We'll see if we find one. If not, well oh well. Hopefully we'll get it painted over and there won't be any repeats."

"We'll see." Regina was still prepared to kick Mary out. It wasn't as if she had nowhere to go by now, she had David. Despite the possibility that remained that she wasn't the tagger, she was still sure she was. Maybe if she saw a pig flying she'd change her mind.


	58. Chapter 58

There was a reason Regina had taken to avoiding the room that had been converted to Mary's. She snarled at a framed picture of _him _and the little brat. The glass may have broken when she tossed it none too gently into the trash bag everything of Mary's was going in. One of them, anyway. She'd already gotten one filled as high as it could go leaving only room for the top to be twisted and held closed by a rubber band. It was amusing how fast a room could be cleaned when you didn't give a damn for its contents.

"You gonna take a break?" Emma was leaning in the doorway. "It's been about two hours."

Regina paused momentarily. "It has?" She shrugged. "Well why stop now? I'm on a roll." She continued from where she left off.

"How do you know she'll even come back for her stuff if she did it? I wouldn't."

"Hence the trash bags, dear. If she doesn't come for them in an amount of time I've yet to decide, it becomes garbage."

"Ouch."

Regina arched an eyebrow, silently daring her to elaborate.

Emma shrugged. "This was me once upon a time, that's all. History is repeating in an indirect way."

No. Regina would not be comparing her actions towards Mary to a previous foster family's actions with Emma in the past. They were entirely different. Mary was an adult, not a child anymore. Regina wasn't being cruel. She was provoked. "This is different."

"I know that. You don't sound too sure of it, though."

Regina let out a long sigh. "If I wanted a therapy session, I'd see the town shrink. I don't appreciate reverse psychology."

"Hello, high school drop out and five year coma patient here. I'm not quite smart enough for ulterior motives. This is just me talking."

"Okay." Regina sat the bag on the floor. "Maybe it is time to stop. I'm getting all worked up again and shouldn't be taking it out on you." She wrapped her arms around Emma's middle and nuzzled her nose against her neck. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Emma returned the embrace and backed out of the doorway, taking Regina with her.

"And you," Regina interrupted her statement to kiss Emma. "Shouldn't talk bad about yourself. You're plenty smart."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely."

Emma smiled. "Thank you."

"You are welcome, my dear." She booped the tip of Emma's nose with her finger.

The blonde pulled her closer. "You."

"Me?"

"You. Are adorable." She trailed her hands very lightly along her sides, resulting in a giggle. "And that proves it."

"Being ticklish makes me adorable?"

"Yes." She repeated the action, though a little firm this time.

"Oh." Regina's eyes fluttered shut. That felt good.

Emma kissed her again, and Regina practically melted.

"Again," whispered Regina against her lips, wanting to feel her hands move once more.

Emma slipped just the tips of her fingers underneath the hem of Regina's shirt, grazing skin. "May I?"

Regina nodded, so she slid her whole hands under the shirt and onto the skin, moving up gently until the bottom edge of her bra was felt, then trailing back down. The brunette felt an explosion of butterflies wherever Emma's hands touched. "Oh," came her barely there whisper just after a soft moan. She wanted something…something more. "Emma." Brown eyes met very green hazel for a few suddenly intense moments before they shared another kiss.

On impulse, in the middle of the kiss Regina took one of Emma's hands still on her sides, moving it higher and higher along her skin before setting it down high on the curve of her breast that the bra didn't touch. Emma let out a moan of surprise into the kiss, but gently ran her thumb along the skin there nonetheless. The sudden depth of their kiss told the blonde that her hand hadn't gotten there by accident. It felt so very good to have the brunette's tongue running along her own combined with the warmth coming from her chest.

Regina locked her arms low around Emma's waist, making space between them non-existent. Not wanting to fall on top of her, Emma reciprocated the action with her free arm, while the fingers of her busy hand stroked along the skin newly available to her. She was already aware of how soft Regina's skin was, but the skin of her chest seemed to be even softer.

The kiss had to break before someone passed out. "Regina…" Emma made sure not to venture too far as it was already new territory, she was grateful for what she was being allowed.

Regina arched into her, causing her hand to cup her breast. "It's been so long since I've felt this way," she murmured. She kissed a spot low on Emma's neck.

Emma let her fingers dip lightly in the line of her cleavage, causing a soft gasp. "Did I hurt you?" she asked quietly, withdrawing her fingers a bit. She was inexperienced, and knowing such crucial events in each of their pasts, well it wasn't anything she wanted repeated, even on accident.

Regina looked up at her. "No." She kissed her again to prove it.

Though Emma kissed back, she was now afraid she would eventually should they continue on. Best to stop while they were ahead. "This is getting a little fast," she murmured. "I think this is far enough for now."

Regina would be the worst hypocrite in the world if she pushed her, so she didn't. "Okay." She let Emma move her hand, but then captured it in her own. "Thank you for coming a little further with me." She wove their fingers together. "It's nice to have better memories."

Emma squeezed her hand gently. "I know." She hoped to give her plenty more in the future. As a bonus, it seemed Regina was completely distracted from the whole Mary possibly tagging the house thing. Intent to keep that distraction in place, she suggested, "How 'bout we watch a movie?"


	59. Chapter 59

**AN: MY PRESENT TO YOU FOR GIVING ME 600 FUCKING REVIEWS! *Faints***

Time crawled and flew by at the same time. Christmas suddenly seemed to be inches away, as before Regina could blink Henry was out of school on Winter break. Mary had been all but forgotten, out of sight out of mind. Regina was busy with other endeavors.

Sidney had finally given her a list. There were four homes Emma had been placed in throughout the age of 10, and Regina had crossed two of them off the list, the foster families Emma was placed in now dead, with histories that didn't match the terrifying events she was trying to rectify. Those crossed off hadn't had any other kids around when they had Emma, so it was safe to rule them out.

That meant she was halfway there to finding out the names of the culprits. Two of the names she had certainly were the criminals she was looking for. There were two couples left, one George and Angela Harrison, one Greg and Tamara Mendel.

Regina had managed to keep all this work hidden from Emma; it really wasn't all that hard when the blonde wasn't suspecting a thing. It was just thrown into the mix of the rest of her work. Though she itched to, the brunette wasn't quite so naïve as to attempt working on it at home. That was why Sidney came so very much in handy. The New Year was creeping up, though, so she'd be booting him from the position of secretary soon. She'd keep him on the case, however, as he was proving to be an invaluable asset.

It was Monday, December 18, Henry's first official day of Winter Break. The weekend technically hadn't counted, as schools weren't in session on weekends anyway. Christmas was only seven days away. One week. The five year mark of the day Regina's life was officially flipped upside down. She wasn't looking forward to it.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" Emma plopped down beside her on the couch.

"Christmas is almost here."

"You don't sound too happy about that."

"Five years ago that day is when fiancé number two moved in."

Emma frowned. "I remember you telling me Thanksgiving was one of the only good holidays left for you. Did he ruin other holidays?"

Regina nodded, looking her dead in the eyes when she answered, "Valentine's Day."

"What did he –" Then it clicked. "Oh, god! On _Valentine's Day?!"_

"On Valentine's Day," Regina confirmed.

Emma pulled her into her arms. "That's so messed up…!" She didn't know how to make it better, but she could try.

"Indeed."

Holding her close, Emma pressed soft kisses to the skin within her reach. "He's gone," she murmured, unsure as to who she was assuring.

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma in turn, cuddling into her. "I know," was her whispered reply. She edged closer, her nose brushing Emma's cheek. "You're here, now."

Their lips met and comforting warmth spread throughout both of their bodies. It was safety, it was promise, it was home.

"You are so beautiful." Emma caressed her cheek. "You deserve the best; I've no idea why you choose to settle for me."

"Emma, sweetheart, you are the best." She turned her head to kiss Emma's palm. "You care so much more than anyone ever has."

"What about your first fiancé?"

"My first fiancé left me in the most permanent of ways. Killed himself. First time Valentine's Day was ruined for me."

Emma's heart ached for her. Why did so many bad things have to happen to her? She was the greatest person she'd ever encountered. Maybe except for the wonderful little boy she'd managed to create. He was her little miracle. "I'll do my best to make sure you never have a bad holiday again." Her hand threaded through dark hair, using leverage to push their lips together once more in a passionately tender kiss.

More and more it seemed Emma had the ability to make Regina melt. She could blink and Regina would be reduced to a mere puddle. She was so hopelessly consumed by her, drowning in the most pleasant of ways, and she hoped she never broke through the surface. The world was such a dark, cold place, and Regina refused to give up the warmth and light she was being submerged in. It was something she clung to, something that would always be worth fighting for. No longer was she alone. With every shared moment, a little piece of her moved away to make room for Emma, and now the two were welded to the point where it was heavily uncertain where Regina ended and Emma began. There was no more room to give, full capacity had been reached.

"I believe now."

It was such a vague statement, Emma wasn't sure of her meaning. "What's that?" Once again, the brunette before her seemed to radiate happiness, gaining a look the blonde had only seen directed at her one other time.

"I believe in fairytales." If there were some greater force of nature making matches of people meant to share the purest of bonds that was such a heavy theme in fairytales, Regina saw the light. This was it right here. Emma, her Emma, was the one with whom she shared that bond.

That translated perfectly to Emma, the fantastical stories heard in her coma coming to the front of her mind once more. No longer did their themes seem quite so absurd. More than that, the main one had woven itself into her own life. No longer was she the girl constantly thrown away, no, that one sentence from Regina told her more than those three romantic words ever could. Suddenly, Emma was looking into the face of her angel again, now awakened from yet another slumber she was unaware of having. "Hello again," she breathed. "Look at you, opening my eyes once more when I didn't even know they were closed."

To anyone else the exchange would be confusing and hard to follow, but to the two of them it made all the sense in the world, and that was what truly mattered.


End file.
